Drowning
by Cheeyathebard
Summary: Cat is stressed to pieces. Joining a health and fitness club and taking swimming lessons is her new thing. Little did she know that her new thing would lead her to a different new thing! So yeah... this popped into my head... I'm not sure where it's going but I'll update when I can. This is a Supercat story where Kara has no powers. Also a warning for a theme of rape.
1. Chapter 1

Drowning - Part One

* * *

Cat Grant was nervous, which wasn't a usual state of mind for her. She finished packing her gear into her gym bag and grabbed her keys off the table as she headed for the door.

"What in the world possessed me," she mumbled to herself. "To decide to take swimming lessons at this point in my life?" She shook her head but kept walking and a moment later, she was pulling out of her garage and heading for the exclusive Breathe Fitness Center and Spa. The membership fees were bordering on evil but the CEO more than felt it was worth it after the massage she'd received the previous week from a hot guy with strong hands and a toned body. She smiled a little to herself, wondering if her private swimming instructor would be just as attractive.

It was a typically warm and sunny day and Cat hummed along with the radio as she reached the parking lot and found a space. She was in a great mood, despite her nerves and there was a noticeable pep in her steps. Taking a few days off was just what the doctor ordered… literally. Cat's blood pressure had been so high that her physician had advised her to take a break. At first, she'd scoffed at him but, when she'd started experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains, she'd taken him seriously.

Cat walked through the landscaped outdoor area, past the coffee shop and to the reception desk where she scanned her membership card and accepted a pristinely laundered towel. She brought it to her nose, enjoying the subtle lavender fragrance as she headed for the changing room. The CEO was extravagant in some areas of her life but for her swimming lesson today, she'd decided on a sleek, black one-piece suit that was modestly cut. She stripped off her clothes and settled the suit's straps more comfortably on her shoulders, then slipped into her flip-flops, grabbed her towel and headed for the pool. It was a small pool, specifically tailored to those learning to swim and she was glad she wouldn't be in the main pool with everyone else.

Cat was setting her towel down on a chair when a peppy voice made her jump and spin around. "Hey, you must be Cat Grant."

Cat nodded dumbly for a moment as she was faced with a beautiful, young woman. She was taller than Cat by inches, with long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail and the most captivating blue eyes the CEO had ever seen.

"Um… yes, I'm… yes," Cat replied softly as she shook the woman's hand.

"Great. I'm Kara Danvers. I'm your swimming instructor here at Breathe." The young woman smiled brightly. She was wearing a lilac colored polo shirt with the company logo at the breast and a pair of navy shorts. Cat envied her long, muscular legs.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Danvers."

The woman grinned. "It's Kara. What should I call you?"

"Miss Grant," Cat replied with narrowed eyes but Kara took it in her stride as she sat down to strip out of her own clothes.

"You got it, Miss Grant. So, have you ever had swimming lessons before?" She stood up and Cat sighed. Kara's body was just as gorgeous as she'd expected it to be. She was in a one-piece, red bathing suit, like a lifeguard's, which accentuated her tan and her swimmer's muscles. And suddenly, in the back of Cat's mind, Kara felt familiar to her but she couldn't place how.

"When I was a child," the CEO replied carefully. "My father tried to teach me but I didn't like it."

"Let me guess," Kara replied softly. "He threw you in at the deep end and expected you to doggy-paddle?" Cat's eyes widened. "You'd be surprised at the number of people I teach who are afraid of water for that very reason. Dads think it's cool and funny but sometimes it scares kids to the point where, as adults, they panic in water." She tilted her head. "Should I expect a small amount of panic from you, Miss Grant?" A small nod was her answer and she reached out to squeeze Cat's shoulder. "I promise," she said, ducking her head a little to meet Cat's eyes. "I won't let anything happen to you. I'm very qualified."

It was then that the older woman finally put the pieces together. "Oh!" she said. "Kara Danvers. You're an Olympic gold medalist. CatCo magazine ran a feature piece on you a couple of years ago."

The young woman smiled a little as she shrugged. "Another life ago, but yes."

"You were the youngest Team USA swimmer to win a gold medal... and you won... two?"

"Three," Kara replied, uncomfortably. "But enough about me. Let's get you settled. We'll take it slowly today and ease you into it."

"Ok," Cat replied with a nod and a deep breath. Her nerves flared again as she moved with Kara to the steps. The instructor stepped down into the shallow water and held out her hand to help Cat as she followed. The water was pleasantly warm and she kept a hold on Kara's hand as they moved further out to where the water was at Cat's chest level.

"Excellent," Kara grinned toothily. "You've passed step one. How do you feel?"

Cat rolled her eyes. "Like I just got into a bath."

The instructor laughed lightly. "Got it. Ok, now all I want you to do is to lean back and let yourself float. Buoyancy is a big part of swimming and finding that balance is important." She reached out and pressed her hand gently against Cat's back between her shoulder blades. "Just lean back into my hand and relax. Let your legs float too. I won't let anything bad happen." The CEO nodded and did as she was asked and as her legs came up, she felt Kara's arm ease under her knees to help support her. "Great job," the instructor praised. "You're floating. Now what I want you to do it to paddle slowly with your arms. Glide your hands through the water at your sides and feel yourself moving head first."

"Ok." Cat relaxed a little more and soon she was gliding along in the water with Kara walking next to her, arms still in place. Then she realized Kara had stopped moving and she was on her own with the instructor smiling and nodding. Cat reached the end of the pool and stood up, a smile crossing her lips.

"Awesome," Kara joined her and squeezed her shoulder gently. "Ready to move to the next step?"

"Sure," Cat replied, pushing her hair back from her face.

"Good, ok," Kara nodded. "This is the part that people sometimes don't like so I feel like we should get it over with." She suddenly crouched and ducked her whole body under the water, waiting for a count of five before standing back up again and swiping the water out of her eyes. "There we go. Your turn."

"Um..." Cat looked down uncertainly. "This may be where the slight moment of panic comes in," she admitted. "I don't even submerge myself in the bath."

The instructor smiled and moved closer. "May I?" she asked. Cat nodded, not really sure what she was agreeing to. "Ok, so Miss Grant, I want you to put your hands on my shoulders." Cat did as she was asked, feeling Kara's muscles shifting as she moved. "And I'm going to put my hands on your hips. Are you ok with that?" Again, Cat nodded and she suppressed a shiver as gentle hands settled at her sides.

They were only inches apart and the instructor's eyes twinkled in the overhead lighting. "Ok," Cat said. "What's next?"

"Next I want you to close your eyes, take a breath and hold it. That's all for now." Kara's resettled her hands on Cat's hips as she moved a little closer. "On three. One, two, three." She watched as Cat closed her eyes and held her breath. "Five, four, three, two, one. And let the breath out."

Cat opened her eyes and met Kara's smile at a much closer distance this time. "That was easy," she said.

"Good. Next step. This time, I want you to do that again but, this time, I'm going to lower us both under the water for just a moment, ok?" Cat tensed a little and Kara felt it. "It's ok, I've got you. I promise you'll be safe."

"Ok," Cat replied, trying to relax her shoulders. She suddenly realized that her fingers were clamped down on Kara's shoulder and eased back, clearing her throat. "Sorry."

"No problem." The instructor got a more secure grip on Cat. "Ready? One, two, three."

Cat closed her eyes, took a breath and let her knees unlock as she felt the pressure of Kara's hands on her hips easing them under the water. It was warm down there but cool air hit Cat almost immediately as the younger woman brought them both back to the surface. Cat let out her breath and smiled triumphantly. "I did it!"

"You did great, Miss Grant." The instructor smiled brightly. "Ok, we're going to do that a few more times until you're feeling comfortable. Then we're going to try staying under for a longer period. One of the things we need to learn to become an effective swimmer is breath control."

Over the next few minutes, Kara and Cat practiced longer periods under the water until, completely unexpectedly, Cat's mind suddenly flashed back to a distant memory. She was underwater. It was cold and black. She couldn't breathe... It caught her off-guard and she panicked, struggling in Kara's grip and fighting against her. But then strong arms were fully around her, holding her as Kara pushed them back to the surface. "Ok, it's ok, I've got you," she murmured against Cat's cheek as the older woman gasped for breath. Cat's fingers convulsed against Kara's chest. "Just breathe, Miss Grant. I've got you. You're safe."

For a long moment, Cat let herself be held as she calmed down but then she suddenly realized what was happening and she drew back, feeling Kara's arms release her as she backed away and then turned her face away from the instructor. "I'm ok," she said snippily when she felt blue eyes bore into her back as she turned. "Really, I'm fine. I just..."

"Remembered..." Kara said quietly. She waded towards Cat, then moved past her and leaned against the end of the pool to the CEO's right. "Memories have a lot of influence on us and, only when we conquer them, are we ready to move forward."

"And you'd know this how?" Cat replied with a sneer. "You're too young to have baggage like that."

Kara's face remained impassive but she shook her head. "No," she replied seriously. "I'm not." She took a deep breath and then the smile returned to her face. "Well, you did great today, Miss Grant. You're booked in again for tomorrow. I'll see you then if you're ok with that." She moved to the steps at the edge of the pool but paused then and turned to hold out her hand, her eyebrow hiking.

Cat sighed but accepted the hand and allowed Kara to help her out of the pool. Then the young woman handed Cat her towel before roughly drying herself and getting back into her polo shirt and shorts. "Goodbye, Kara," Cat said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

A bright smile was her reply and Kara lifted a hand in a wave as she strolled out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Drowning – Part 2

* * *

A revelation about Kara and a nice chat at the cafe.

Warning: Kara was sexually assaulted. I do not under any circumstances want to upset anyone and I promise I'll treat it with respect.

* * *

Kara slowly walked along the corridor to her office and flopped into her chair to look at her computer's calendar.

"No more clients today," she mused out loud to herself as she grabbed a bottle of water and took a few sips. She leaned back in her chair and thought about her newest client, Cat Grant, smiling to herself. The woman had a lot of self-confidence, she was beautiful and eloquent… Kara's smile faltered… but water had been the woman's undoing. Kara wondered what had caused the trauma. For some reason the instructor didn't think it was the usual stuff she heard from clients. Cat had been fine at first but something had changed...

Kara's desk phone rang and she picked up, twirling the cord around her fingers. "Breathe Fitness and Spa, this is Kara."

"Hey, Kid. What you up to?"

"Alex, hey. Meh… nothing much. Just chilling. I just finished with a new client."

"Oh yeah? He or She? And are they hot?" Kara's sister was always curious about her clients' dating potential.

"It was a she," the instructor replied. "And yes, she's hot in that older-woman-hot kinda way." She heard the creak come down the phone line as her sister leaned forward in her chair and Kara headed her off. "But you know I don't date clients, Alex."

"You don't date anyone," came the snippy reply. Then Alex's tone softened. "Sweetie, will you just consider trying to get back out there? I worry about you being alone."

"I'm not ready, Alex," Kara replied. "I don't know if I'll ever be ready. My last four dates were disasters. I just can't relax."

"It's been four years…"

"Don't you think I know that?!" The blonde slammed her free hand down on her desk in frustration. "Don't you think I'd be back at the Olympics this year if it hadn't happened?! I'm only twenty-five for God's sake!" Tears rose in her blue eyes and spilled over as her voice gentled. "I've done years of therapy, Alex, and I still have the nightmares. How can I sleep next to someone knowing that they'll have to deal with that every night?"

"I know. I'm sorry I upset you, Kara. I'm… sorry."

The blonde let out a long calming breath. "I know you just want what's best for me."

"It was my fault… what happened to you…" Alex's voice cracked and Kara's eyes widened in shock.

"What? Alex… no…"

"It was, Kara! I was supposed to be with you! Supposed to have your back! But I left you alone in that hotel room and those guys..." Alex's voice was heavy with tears.

"Hey…" Kara said softly. "It wasn't your fault, Alex. It was THEIR fault. They were the ones who broke into my room. They were the ones who said they wanted to thaw my icy exterior. If you'd been there, Alex, they would have done it to you too and I'd NEVER wish that on anyone, especially not my big sister."

For a long moment, neither of them said anything and Kara listened as Alex's sniffles echoed through the phone. "I'm so sorry," the older woman whispered.

Kara's hand wrapped around the phone like it was a precious object. "I love you, Alex," she said in reply. "I wish I could see you. When are you back from London?"

"Another week or so," the older woman confirmed. "The conference is wrapping up on Friday but I'm spending a few days of vacation too."

"Good." Kara smiled. "You need a vacation. It's been… how long?"

"Three years," Alex chuckled a little. "I promise, when I get back, we'll do pizza, beer and the sappiest romantic movie we can find... and we'll talk more about this."

"I'll hold you to that," Kara replied. "Bye, Alex."

"Love you, Kid. Call you later in the week."

Xx

Cat was sitting in the sun at an outdoor table, a cup of coffee and a sandwich in front of her as she scrolled through the long list of emails in her inbox. Most of them, she was just ccd on since she'd left her management staff in charge of handling everything, so she just skimmed them and kept going. A shadow moving closer distracted her though and looked up to find her new swimming instructor strolling along the path toward the parking lot with her gym bag thrown over her shoulder. Kara Danvers was beautiful. There was no denying it but, as she twirled her car keys around her finger, Cat could see that she was distracted... upset maybe.

Then Kara's head turned and their eyes met and the instructor's mouth lifted into a quirky but endearing grin as she changed course and headed for Cat's table. "Hi, Miss Grant. Enjoying some lunch, I see. The food at the café is pretty good, right?"

"Actually, it is," Cat replied. There was only one bite gone out of her sandwich but she'd thought it was acceptable. "Heading home for the day?"

"Yes, Ma'am. No more clients for today. I'm already thinking about a long, hot shower and some pizza. What have you got planned for this afternoon?"

Cat shrugged and leaned back in her chair to cross her legs as she picked up her coffee cup. "Nothing special," she replied. She sipped the coffee and winced. It was luke warm now and she hastily put it down. Her own fault, she knew, for being distracted by work.

Kara chuckled. "Let me get you a fresh one. I know the barista."

Cat nodded gratefully. "I'd appreciate that, Kara. She's a friend of yours?"

The instructor twirled her keys around her finger again. "Um... yes?" she replied, her blue eyes looking elsewhere.

The older woman chuckled lightly. "Ah... I see."

Kara put down her keys and gym bag, picked up the coffee cup and chucked a thumb over her shoulder towards the café. "I'll be right back."

"Famous last words!" Cat called after her, receiving a grin in return.

True to her word, Kara arrived back moments later with a fresh coffee for Cat and one for herself. "Mind if I join you?"

Cat indicated the seat across from her. "Please. I was wondering if you remembered meeting me before when you did that interview at CatCo. I'm the CEO. We met briefly but you were much younger."

"Thirteen," Kara replied. "Just after my first Olympics. I remember." She wrapped her hands around her mug and a small smile shaped her lips. "You gave me candy out of the jar in your office when you heard I wasn't allowed to have any."

Cat chuckled. She didn't remember that. "And you won that year?"

The instructor's voice was strangely quiet. "A bronze. Four years later, I won a silver and two bronzes, and four years after that, three golds."

"But you're not competing this year, right? Did you decide to retire after the last games?"

There is was. The question Kara always dreaded. She dredged up the usual answer but, when she lifted her eyes to meet Cat's, something happened inside her. She couldn't get the usual words out. The curiosity and compassion in the CEO's green eyes made her want to tell the truth.

But Cat Grant was a reporter at heart and Kara was afraid to tell her the truth, lest it end up in the paper. Not that Kara Danvers was really news anymore, but sexual assault that went unpunished during the 2014 Olympic Games would definitely be newsworthy to the dynamic and powerful CEO.

But still.

Finally, Kara managed to stutter out an answer. "I... um... I guess I... I didn't want to compete this year. I couldn't. There was... Something happened at the last Olympics that soured me on competing this year."

The words were out there. Hanging between them. And Kara waited for the inevitable question.

"It's something that's obviously painful to you," Cat said softly, watching as Kara's eyes widened in surprise. "And I'm sorry it affected your career. Do you see yourself ever competing again?"

Kara swallowed as she gathered her thoughts. "I don't think so. By the time the games roll around again, I'll be twenty-nine and too old."

"Michael Phelps is thirty-one," Cat pointed out with a shrug. "And he's still swimming circles around younger athletes."

The younger woman nodded. "True," she replied. "I don't know, Miss Grant. It was pretty bad and... I think I'm done with it. I like my job here and it pays well. I get to set my own hours and meet interesting people." She grinned then. "Plus no more daily four-hour workouts followed by four hours in the pool. And I get to eat whatever I want."

"What's so bad about that, right?" Cat asked with a smile of her own.

"I know, right?" Kara finished her coffee and gathered her gear. "And on that note, I've gotta get going. I'll see you tomorrow at eleven, Miss Grant."

"Yes, you will," the CEO replied. "Bye, Kara." She watched as the young woman headed for the parking lot and once she was out of view, Cat picked up her phone and did a Google search for _Kara Danvers Olympic Games 2014_


	3. Chapter 3

Drowning Part Three

A/N: Warning. There's some mild violence and less savory language in this part.

* * *

Cat Grant was an investigative journalist at heart. All her years as CEO of her own company hadn't dwindled her thirst for information in the slightest and when her curiosity bested her, and she did a search on Kara Danvers, she was surprised that nothing interesting came up. Sure, there were hundreds of articles about her Olympic triumphs. There were photos of her from age thirteen, all braces and cute-awkward, all the way up to age twenty-one with a beaming smile, three gold medals hanging from her neck and a maturity in her eyes that came from years of hard work and discipline.

What did seem strange to Cat was that there had been very few articles since. There were a couple of candid shots of Kara out and about in the city, one of her at a charity event with another young woman and one or two articles entitled _Where are they now?_. There was even one rumor that Kara would be a contestant on _Dancing with the Stars - Athletes_ i, but that was it. Nothing too exciting. It was as if the athlete had completely withdrawn from the public eye.

Cat leaned back in her chair and finished her coffee and sandwich as she thought about her next move. Part of her didn't want to invade the instructor's privacy but a bigger part of her couldn't let it go. Something in Kara Danvers' eyes had touched Cat deeply and she needed to know why. Finally, as a light breeze kicked up and ruffled her now-dry hair, she grabbed her gym bag and headed for her car. She needed to get home to her laptop to continue her search.

Besides, researching her new instructor would help to take her mind off her panic attack in the pool and the security of those strong arms holding her tightly until she calmed down.

xx

Kara hummed softly along with the radio as she pulled into her parking space outside her apartment building. It was a gated community with expensive apartment homes, one of which Kara had purchased a few years prior, and she felt safe there… away from prying eyes.

"Hey Tom," she greeted as she pulled the lobby door open and strolled to the young security guard, who doubled as a receptionist, sitting at the desk near the elevator.

"Hey, Miss Danvers," he replied with his usual smile as he rose respectfully from his chair. Kara had given up trying to get him to call her by her first name months before "Seen the new Avengers movie yet?"

"Not yet," the blonde replied. "I'm more of a DC fan but I'll catch it sometime soon."

"Well…" Tom swallowed nervously. "I have a spare ticket for tonight and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me… like… on a date?" He saw her smile falter and was quick to add… "My female friends are saying that Steve Rogers is really hot in it."

Kara leaned on the counter and smiled at him. "I'm flattered, Tom, really I am. But… I'd be more interested to hear what your friends think about how hot the women are… you know?"

"Ahhh," he nodded and moved to hit the elevator call button for her. "I see. Well, I… um… have a nice rest of your day, Miss Danvers."

Kara patted his arm as she moved past him into the car. "Thanks, Tom. You too." As the door closed, she saw his smile fall and brow furrow and she felt bad for him, wishing that she'd realized what had been coming and had been better prepared. She was still thinking about it when she got to her front door and punched in her code to open the electronic lock. It chimed that it was open, and she went inside, going straight to the laundry room to strip out of her clothes and bathing suit and drop them in the washing machine. Then she went to her bathroom and turned on the shower, letting it heat up for a minute or so before stepping into the spray and soaking herself thoroughly. As she washed the chlorine out of her hair, Kara's mind moved away from Tom's disappointment and back to her newest client, Cat Grant. There was something about the woman that intrigued the instructor and she realized that she wanted to know more about the older woman. She also realized that she was looking forward to their lesson the following day. Maybe she and Cat could have coffee together again?

Kara's apartment was modern, yet homely and she loved every piece she'd hand-selected, from her king-sized bed to her overstuffed, leather sofa. Everything was comfortable, and she sighed happily as she flopped onto the sofa, wrapped warmly in a soft robe that her mother had bought her as a Christmas gift a couple of years before. She flipped the TV on and settled back to order her pizza online as an episode of Homeland played in the background.

Kara was thinking about her Mom when her phone beeped, and she picked it up to find a text message sitting squarely on the screen. It was from Alex and she smiled as she read it, then tapped out a quick reply, assuring her older sister that she was alright after their discussion earlier. That was one of the things she loved so much about Alex. The older Danvers was always thinking about and taking care of her. Then her mind strayed back to Cat Grant and she pulled her MacBook back onto her lap to Google the CatCo CEO. As engrossed in her research as she was, she jumped when the pizza delivery guy rang the bell and trotted eagerly to the door to grab her early dinner. When she saw the piles of gorgeous, melty cheese on the pie, she promised herself thirty minutes extra in the gym the next day and then went back to finish her TV show.

xx

Cat was feeling a little guilty as she got ready for bed. She'd found an obscure article earlier in the day where Kara announced she wasn't going to compete in the 2018 Olympics and had put her investigator on it to see what he could dig up. The Catco CEO didn't know where it might lead but she wanted to know why Kara had seemed so fearful and upset when they'd talked at lunch. She wanted to know what had stopped a champion from continuing to compete at the height of her career.

She lay in bed for a while, but her mind played over her time with Kara repeatedly until she finally fell asleep.

xx

"Yes, Sir, have a nice rest of your day." Kara held her smile in place until her client was out of sight and then relaxed and dropped back into the pool to float on her back. She had a few minutes till her next client, Cat Grant, would arrive, so she decided to swim some laps. Lazy strokes pulled her lithe body so efficiently through the water that she barely made a splash and she added a slow tumble at each end to change direction.

On the other side of the pool, the door opened and Cat came in, letting it close behind her as she set her towel down on a chair and slipped out of her flip-flops. She watched Kara for a while, then smiled as the instructor came to a stop next to her and pressed herself up and out of the pool.

"Good morning, Miss Grant," the instructor said brightly. "It's good to see you again."

"Good morning, Kara. You haven't lost your touch, I see. Still swimming like a fish."

Kara looked back at the pool and grinned. "No, I guess not." She grabbed her towel and dried her face. "How are you feeling today? I know yesterday was a bit tough at the end."

Cat nodded. "I feel good. Sorry about yesterday. I guess I have a little more baggage than I thought."

Without thinking, the younger blonde reached out and squeezed Cat's shoulder. "Sometimes we need some time to unpack that baggage. We'll move slowly today. I want to make sure you're comfortable with everything you learn." She pulled her hand back quickly, her fingertips tingling from the contact with warm, soft skin. "Sorry… um…so, ready to get started?"

The CEO smiled. "Lead on."

Like the day before, Kara held her hand out to help Cat down the steps into the pool and they spent some time recapping the lessons from the day before. Then it was time to move on to something new. "Alright, Miss Grant, let's start with some fancy legwork." Cat hiked an eyebrow at the instructor who chuckled and guided the CEO to the edge of the pool. "I want you to, face first, hold on to this bar here…" She pointed to the grab bar made of an indent in the tile. "And just let your legs float up behind you." She demonstrated, and Cat copied her. "Great job. Now I want you to pretend you're a frog and move your legs in almost a circular motion." She demonstrated again, and Cat laughed a little.

"I said you're like a fish but maybe I should call you Kermit," she teased.

A full-on grin creased Kara's face and her blue eyes twinkled. "I think I'd be a little insulted if frogs weren't so cool. But anyway, get those legs moving, Miss Grant."

For a few minutes, they both held onto the bar and practiced their kicks. Cat watched as Kara ducked her head under the water now and again and stretched out her shoulders, so Cat did the same, receiving an approving smile and a nod from her instructor. "Excellent. That's a good way to keep your arms loose. You'll probably find that you'll be a little sore this afternoon. Swimming uses practically every major muscle in the body so it's a good workout."

Just then another employee ducked his head into the pool and called out to Kara. "Hey Kar? Sorry to interrupt you, but there's someone here to…" But he didn't get to finish the sentence before another man pushed past him and into the pool room. "Hey, you know you can't wear street shoes…" But the man ignored the employee and stormed toward the pool.

"Danvers! You bitch!"

Cat watched as the instructor's eyes hardened. Kara took a breath. "I'm so sorry, let me just handle this, Miss Grant."

Kara swam across the pool and pressed herself up and out of the water to approach the man. "Max, you were told to never come back here," she said in a low voice, but Cat could still hear every word as they echoed around the tiled walls.

Max apparently didn't care about being heard. "Bitch," he spat out again. "You didn't even have the guts to fire me to my face. You had to get Winn to do it."

"Hey, Man," the other employee began. "Watch your mouth…"

"Shut up, Mike." And without even looking, Max shot his arm out and pushed the poor guy into the pool. Then he grabbed Kara by the arm and pulled her to him.

"I'll make you pay, you fuckin' dyke."

Cat felt anger rise in her chest and was about to come to Kara's aid. The instructor was frozen on the spot, her eyes wide with fear and she flinched as the man's hand collided hard with her cheek, leaving a large, red palmprint on her face and the corner of her mouth bleeding sluggishly. But, as she came back around to face him again, Cat saw that Kara's teeth were gritted and her hand was balling into a fist. And when she swung back, she punched Max so hard that she knocked him out cold and he hit the tile floor, face down, like a sack of potatoes.

"I AM a dyke," she gritted out, her eyes wild. "And I know a pussy when I see one."

Cat snorted out a laugh at that and then quickly made her way to the steps of the pool. Mike was out of the water and moving towards Kara but Cat called out to him. "Don't touch her, Mike."

He quickly stopped, skidding a little in his wet shoes and waited for Cat to pass him before following her. The CEO approached the trembling instructor, who was looking down at her grazed knuckles. "Kara, are you ok?" she asked gently. Blue eyes slowly lifted to meet her green. "Kara, can you hear me? Are you ok?"

The blonde head nodded, and Kara took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry you had to see that, Miss Grant," she murmured, sitting heavily into a chair and cradling her sore fist in her other hand.

Cat knelt in front of her and gently tilted the younger woman's chin to the side to look at her cheek. A bruise was already forming, and the trickle of now-drying blood from the corner of her mouth had reached Kara's chin. "Don't be silly, Kara. You were defending yourself against a man who assaulted you. I couldn't be prouder of you." She looked at the hovering Mike. "Go get the manager, a security guard for sleeping beauty there and a first aid kit. Chop chop. Tell the manager to call the police."

"Kara, Darling, can you open your hand for me?"

Kara nodded and opened her hand, but she groaned with pain as her bones protested. "Owww."

"Might be broken, we should get you to the hospital for an x-ray."

"Miss Grant, you shouldn't have to take care of me like this…" the younger blonde began.

"Cat." Cat interrupted. Kara's face shifted into a look of puzzlement and Cat rolled her eyes. "Call me Cat. Anyone, who stands up for themselves against homophobic bullies twice their size, gets to call me Cat."

A little grin lifted the instructor's lips and she nodded. "Cat."

Just then, Mike returned with two men in tow. The bigger of the two immediately went to the still-prone Max and zip-tied his hands together behind his back while the other man, a smaller but fit and muscular guy, ran to Kara and put his arms around her. "Oh my god, are you ok?" he asked worriedly. "I can't believe Max came back."

"I'm ok, Winn," Kara replied with a smile. "Cat is taking good care… Oh, I'm sorry. Miss Grant, Cat, this is Winn Schott, the general manager of Breathe."

Winn and Cat exchanged handshakes before the young man turned back to Kara. "We are absolutely pressing charges this time."

"This time?" Cat interjected indignantly. "That man has done this before."

Kara rubbed her forehead as Winn opened the first aid box and took out alcohol wipes to clean the cut at her mouth and her grazed knuckles. "Not exactly like this," she said, wincing as the alcohol stung.

"No," Winn added bitterly. "Max was a swimming instructor who worked with Kara. Three weeks ago, he lost it and almost strangled her because she refused to go out with him. I fired him the next day and took a restraining order out against him, but Kara didn't want to press charges since they used to be friends."

Cat nodded. "This time, he violated a restraining order to assault you, Kara. You must absolutely press charges." She looked at Winn. "But first, we need to get that hand looked at. It's swelling up."

"I'll take her to the hospital," The manager replied but Kara shook her head.

"Winn, you need to stay here and make sure Max is taken care of by the police. I can drive myself to the hospital."

Winn opened his mouth to protest but Cat held up a hand. "Kara is right. Max needs to be taken care of. I'll take our slugger to the hospital and make sure she gets home safely. You'll give her a few days off of course?"

"I'll give…?" Winn looked between Kara and Cat. "Oh… she doesn't know?" Kara just shrugged, and Winn chuckled. "Kara and I co-own Breathe. She doesn't have to ask me for time off, not that she really ever takes any."

Cat chuckled. Seemed like she and Kara had something in common already. She nodded then. "Ok, let's get changed, Kara, and I'll get you to the E.R."

"Thanks, Cat," the younger woman replied. She got up and let the CEO help her with her shorts and polo shirt. Then she waited while Cat quickly changed in the locker room and met her at the reception area. A few minutes later, the older woman was helping her get buckled into the front seat of her Mercedes and then they were on their way. "You know," Kara said, as they entered the parking lot for National City General's E.R. "I really appreciate your doing this for me. And I owe you free swimming lessons for life."

But Cat chuckled and looked at the younger woman with a sly smile. "You don't owe me free lessons," she replied. "Buying me dinner some night will more than pay me back."

And Kara smiled back. Because that was a price she was more than happy to pay.


	4. Chapter 4

Drowning Part Four

A/N: Kara gets treated at the hospital. Cat tells Kara a bit about her past.

* * *

Cat sighed as she looked around the E.R. waiting room and then rummaged through her small purse to find her hand sanitizer. Since the area was quite obviously a sea of pestilence, she held out the bottle in silence to Kara who chuckled as she accepted some into her palm and rubbed her hands together as best she could with her injury.

"Are you in much pain?" the older woman asked as she worked the sanitizer into her own hands.

Kara shrugged. "I've had worse." She met Cat's eyes then. "You've been so kind, but I'm sure there are things you'd rather be doing than just sitting here with me."

"Actually, there aren't." Cat replied. "I need to make sure you're ok." She wasn't sure why, but it was true.

"Really, I'm fine," the instructor said but her eyes darted around as if she was looking for an exit.

"Kara," Cat said gently as she put her hand on the younger woman's impatiently bouncing knee. "You really don't like hospitals, do you." It wasn't a question.

Kara shook her head. "No… I hate hospitals." Her breathing grew faster and shallower. "Really, REALLY hate them."

"So…" Cat turned in her seat to face her friend, nudging Kara with her knee, who turned her head, blue eyes panicked as she met Cat's green. The older woman smiled. "I googled you last night. I was looking at your pictures from over the years. The young girl I met all those years ago has grown up into a stunning woman." She chuckled then. "But I'm sure you hear that all the time."

A light blush hinted at Kara's cheeks as a small smile touched her lips. "No, actually. I… It's been a long time. I guess because I haven't been in a relationship for a long time."

"Why is that? You have so much to offer." Cat saw that Kara's breathing was settling as her mind was distracted from her whereabouts. "I know we don't know each other very well, but I'd like to change that, Kara. I'd like us to be friends."

The younger woman nodded. "I'd like that too," she replied. "Cat, that… thing… that made me not want to compete anymore is the reason why I don't really date. But I really don't want to talk about it."

"I understand," the CEO replied with a smile. "Maybe someday?"

"Maybe," Kara agreed softly. Just then her name was called, and she slowly stood up. "Would… would you…?"

"I'm coming with you," Cat stated as she rose efficiently from her chair, pretending she didn't hear Kara's mumbled half-question.

"Ok," the instructor nodded with a grin.

A nurse led them to a cubicle and entered Kara's information into a tablet. Then she looked at Cat, who was standing next to the bed on which Kara was seated.

"And you are?"

"Cat Grant," Cat stated. "I'm a friend of Kara's who witnessed her assault and brought her here to be treated."

"Ok, great," the nurse replied. "Kara, would you like me to call the police so you can make a complaint?"

"No, thank you," the instructor replied. "It happened at my place of work and the general manager there is already working with the police."

"Gotcha," the nurse nodded. "Ok. A doctor will be here to look at that hand shortly." She left them with a smile as she bustled out and on to her next patient.

"Figures," the younger blonde muttered. "Just when things were going well in my life, this happens. Have you ever felt like the universe is out to get you, Cat?"

"Once or twice," the CEO chuckled. "But you know what? I don't really believe in that. I believe we make our own fate through our own choices."

"I used to believe that," Kara said slowly as she touched her fingers to her swollen cheek. "I don't know. I guess I've accumulated enough baggage to question it."

"Maybe we can help each other unpack some of our baggage," Cat said softly. "I'll be honest with you, Kara. My panic attack at the pool... it wasn't just fatherly playfulness that caused it. My father was… mentally ill. He had his good days and his bad days but before long, the bad days far outweighed the good. My mother was traumatized, I think. She tried to pretend that everything was ok and that he didn't really mean it when he hit her… or me. She told everyone that he was a good man with the usual pressures of trying to support a family."

Kara gasped softly and took Cat's hand, squeezing gently. "Cat…" she whispered.

"Then one day," the older woman went on, her fingers curling around her friend's. "He took me down to the river near our house. Told me we were going fishing. I was six years old and the rod he gave me was too big for me to handle so, of course, when I got a bite, I couldn't reel it in. The rod was yanked out of my hands and was taken away by the current." She paused and swallowed, her eyes closing with the memory. "My father was very angry… and he'd been drinking. He grabbed me and pushed me face down into the water to teach me a lesson." Cat's eyes opened and met Kara's, smiling bitterly as a tear spilled down her cheek. "He held me down, all the while calling me an ungrateful bitch of a child. He told me how his life had been so much better before me and how it would be so much better after I was gone."

"Oh my God," Kara whispered, reaching up absently to wipe the tear from Cat's cheek with her thumb and resting her hand on Cat's shoulder in silent support.

"I was lucky," the CEO concluded. "Another man and his son happened upon us and stopped my father. They gave me CPR and basically saved my life. Then they called the police and my father was taken away. I never saw him again, but I heard a few years back that he'd died in an institution of some sort. I was only six but I haven't been able to forget that day."

Their eyes held for a long moment, and Kara was just about to hug her friend when the curtain slid open and a short, balding man stepped inside. The two women pulled back from each other as the man looked up from his tablet. "Kara Danvers?" he said gruffly, looking between them.

"Yes," Kara replied, her eyes reluctantly leaving her friend's.

"I'm Doctor Carr. Let's look at that hand, shall we?"

xx

"Thank you, Sir, I think we have everything we need for now. Can you give me Miss Danvers' number? I'll need to get her statement."

Winn nodded as he wrote the number down on a piece of paper and handed it over. "You'll need to talk to Cat Grant too. She's also a witness. She's at the hospital with Kara."

The officer shook his head. "Our Mr. Lord obviously let his temper get the better of him. Violating a restraining order is bad enough but attacking the victim a second time AND doing it with two witnesses really makes this an open and shut case." He chuckled and tucked his notebook into his jacket. "Thanks, Mr. Schott. We'll be in touch."

Winn saw the officers out and then quickly went back to his office to text Kara a summary of what had happened. He was disgusted that she had been hurt again and he wished that there was something he could do to make some of her pain go away.

Tears rose in his eyes as he thought back to that night four years previously. Finding Kara in that hotel room…

"Boss?"

The manager sniffed and quickly rubbed his face as he stood and turned toward the voice. "Yeah, Mike?"

"Have you heard from Kara?"

"Not yet, but she's in good hands. Don't worry." Winn clapped the young man on the shoulder and smiled. "Can you cover Kara's clients until she gets back? It might be a while if her hand is broken. There's overtime in it for you if you can."

"Of course, I'll cover her," Mike replied. "Let me go check her schedule and see what I can move around."

"Good, thanks, Mike."

Winn sat back down at his desk as the young man headed out, steepling his fingers in front of his face. For a moment, all he wanted was to go home and hug his husband but there was too much to do so he turned to his laptop and got back to work.

xx

"You're lucky."

Kara looked down at the brace covering her arm from elbow to fingers. "How is this lucky, Cat? I can't swim and I can't teach for the next two weeks."

Cat rolled her eyes as she flipped on her turn signal and turned right. "If it had been broken, it'd be eight weeks and it wouldn't just be a brace on your arm."

The younger woman sighed heavily. "I guess." She was lost in thought until she suddenly realized that Cat was pulling into a parking spot at a strange place. "Where are we?"

"Well." Cat helped Kara with her seatbelt and then grabbed her purse. "Neither of us had lunch and I'm hungry so we're going to get something to eat. Besides," she added. "You shouldn't take painkillers on an empty stomach."

"I haven't taken any painkillers," Kara replied sagely.

There was that eyeroll again. "I know that, but we have to pick up your prescription later and you'll be taking them then. Am I right or am I right?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Kara dutifully replied but her eyes were twinkling with mirth. "Something tells me that you're a Mom. Am I right or am I right?"

"Touché," the CEO chuckled. "I have two sons. One fourteen and one twenty-four."

Kara nodded. "And a husband?" she asked casually, not meeting Cat's eyes.

"No husband. It's just Carter and me. Although he's staying with his father now. Adam, lives in Metropolis with his father." Cat got out of the car and waited for Kara to join her for the walk to the restaurant. They were quickly shown to a table and Cat immediately picked up the menu. "I seriously want a cheeseburger right now," she murmured. She looked up to find Kara staring at her, her chin propped up on her good hand. "What?"

"Just," the instructor replied with a smile. "I've never met anyone like you before, Cat."

"Hmmm…" the older woman mused. "Is that good or bad? My last partner said something like that to me before walking out and never coming back."

"It's good," Kara replied. "And he was an idiot to walk out on you." She looked at her menu, quickly choosing a burger for herself.

"SHE wasn't all wrong," Cat added. "I'm not easy to be in a relationship with. I have very high standards."

The younger blonde opened her mouth to reply but the server appeared and stole her thunder. "Hello, Ladies. I'm Lynnette and I'll be your server today. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

"Club soda please," Kara replied.

"Martini please," Cat added, shrugging as Kara lifted an eyebrow at her. "I'm on vacation."

The waitress hurried away to get the drinks while Kara looked around the restaurant. It was a family friendly place full of movie memorabilia and televisions playing action movies with the sound muted. in the background, music was playing at a low volume and Cat thought that she recognized the theme from Titanic.

"This place is cool," Kara said. "Have you been here before?"

"Carter loves it." A genuine smile creased Cat's face as she thought about her son. "He's a good kid and he never asks for much but this is always where he wants to come for dinner on Fridays." She took out her phone and showed Kara a picture of herself and Carter grinning together.

"Cute guy," Kara commented. "He looks like you. Same smile."

"Yes, I suppose he does," Cat mused as she looked at the picture. "You can meet him some time and see for yourself."

"That'd be awesome," the younger woman replied. Lynette appeared again with the drinks and took their orders but, as she left, Kara could sense a shift in Cat. Reaching across the table, she covered the CEO's hand with her own. "Hey, what is it? If... if you don't want me to meet Carter it's ok..."

Cat chuckled. "On the contrary. I was just surprising myself with how I just said that without thinking. I don't normally... trust... easily."

"And I don't normally trust at all," Kara replied quietly. "Why do I feel like I've known you forever?"

"Maybe because you met me before?" Cat replied thoughtfully. "Do you feel like your life is divided in two? Before the thing and after the thing?"

Kara nodded, her breath hitching. "Yes," she whispered, suddenly needing some space. "All the time." She quickly stood up. "Excuse me, I need..." She took off toward the bathroom and Cat took out her phone to text her investigator for an update but then she paused a moment, tapping her phone against her cheek as she thought about it, and then sent her text.

 _James, that thing on Kara Danvers. Never mind. I'll take care of it myself._

When Kara came back from the bathroom, she was looking at her phone and seemed calmer. She slid back into the booth and smiled at Cat. "I got a text from Winn. The police took Max away and he'll be arraigned tomorrow. He also said that the police need to talk to both of us. I'm so sorry you got dragged into all this, Cat."

The CEO chuckled and lifted her martini in a toast. "Well, Miss Danvers, I wouldn't have it any other way."


	5. Chapter 5

Drowning – Part Five

A/N: A bit of lunch and a chat

* * *

It was distracting and slightly scary being around Cat Grant. Kara covertly watched Cat during their meal, admiring how the sunlight streaming in the window hit her hair and eyes, bringing out their highlights with startling clarity. Her eyes moved slowly down the beautiful face to slightly muscular shoulders and arms, which were on display thanks to the tank top Cat had worn under her light hoodie.

The older woman was slender and healthy and Kara knew that she had calves that were obviously gleaned from hours of walking or maybe even running. _God, she's so attractive._ The thought surprised Kara for a moment. It'd been a long time since she'd allowed herself that or, truthfully, even felt it. Then she wondered if Cat would be interested in her too but quickly shut down that question. There was no way that a powerful, rich and famous woman like Cat Grant would date her. Kara Danvers was a nobody now and part of her wondered if maybe she'd always been a nobody. That it was only what she could do that was important, not who she was. The thought angered her though and she slowly put her fork down and leaned back in her seat.

Cat swallowed a bite of cheeseburger and frowned. "What's wrong, Kara? You look like someone just beheaded your favorite doll."

"It's my brain," Kara sighed. "It's telling me something and I don't know whether to believe it or not."

Cat nodded and put her burger down, carefully wiping her fingers on a napkin. "Ask."

The reply surprised Kara again. "I'm sorry… what?"

"Ask. When your brain hands you a question you can't answer or a statement you don't know whether or not to believe, ask someone."

The instructor thought about that for a moment. "And what if the person I ask doesn't know either?"

"Then ask someone else. Ask until you get a satisfactory answer or you'll drive yourself crazing trying to live with a big unanswered…" Cat waved a hand. "… something-or-other in your mind."

Kara pursed her lips and picked up her fork again. What Cat was saying made sense. "Do you think I'm a nobody?" she blurted out quickly.

Cat picked up her burger again and took a bite, chewing slowly and swallowing as the younger woman watched her like a hawk. "I think you're intelligent, talented, beautiful and kind."

Kara smiled a little.

"But I think you hide away so much of yourself that people can't see past your somewhat aloof exterior."

Kara's eyes dropped and she nodded, mulling that over for a moment. "Not letting people see the real me means I'm making myself a nobody."

"No," Cat disagreed. "It means you're scared of being hurt so you don't let anyone get too close." The CEO leaned forward and took Kara's hand. "But I met you yesterday for the first time, Kara, and I can already see how your fear controls you. However,..." She chose her words carefully. "I don't think your feelings are unjustified, if what I suspect happened to you, is really what happened."

"And what is it you suspect?"

Their eyes met for a long moment and Cat's chest ached at the pain she saw in the fearful blue peering back at her. "Kara, were you r…."

"Hi Ladies, can I get you refills? Or fresh napkins maybe?"

Kara jumped and pulled her hand back as Lynette began tidying the table. "No, just the check please," she replied. "I think we're almost done here."

Cat nodded at the waitress. "Yes, I need to get my friend home."

Kara pulled her credit card out of her wallet. "Thanks for everything today, Cat," she said softly. "I'm glad I didn't have to be alone."

"Something tells me that your friend, Winn, wouldn't have let you be alone. He seems to care a great deal for you."

"We care for each other," Kara replied with a smile. "He was competing in the games four years ago when we met. We became friends very quickly because he was in the room next to mine and we hung out a lot. His partner, Paul, wasn't able to be there with him because their son was too young and we had being gay in common, so we just really hit it off. He and Paul are married now." She looked down and rubbed her nose. "He's been there for me since we got back from the games and the timing just worked out well for us to set up a business together. We bought the building, renovated it and opened _Breathe_ two years ago."

Lynette returned with the check and Cat very firmly placed her own credit card inside the folder and handed it back, all while giving Kara a stern look as she tried to object. The server chuckled. "No rush, Ladies." She looked Kara up and down and then winked at Cat. Kara's mouth fell open in shock as the woman walked away.

"We were holding hands," Cat stated with a shrug. "She probably thinks we're together."

Kara looked down at her plate and stabbed up the last of her fries. "Is… is that bad?" she asked quietly.

Cat chuckled. "For me? Definitely not. For you, I'm not so sure. I'm a lot older than you are."

"I don't care about age," the instructor quickly replied. "I care about what's on the inside... not that I don't think you're beautiful on the outside too because I do… I mean… you're so pretty and…" Kara trailed off, her face flushing pink. "Sorry, I'm not very good at this."

She watched as Cat smiled and picked up her martini to drain the glass. "Well then," the CEO said. "Since you think I'm attractive and, frankly, I think the same of you, maybe that dinner we discussed should be a date?"

Kara blinked. "You're asking me out on a date?"

"I'm pretty sure I was speaking English," Cat chuckled. "But only if you'd like to. I understand if you..."

Kara took Cat's hand again, squeezing gently as she interrupted. "I'd like to."

xx

"Are you sure you don't need me to come in and help with anything?" Cat asked as she pulled up outside Kara's apartment building.

"Thanks, but I think I'm ok. I'm just going to take these painkillers and go to bed. I'm tired." The instructor undid her seatbelt and opened the door of the car. "Um... can I have your number?" she asked somewhat shyly.

Cat pulled out her cell and opened the phone app. "What's yours?"

"555-628-9472"

Cat sent a text, added Kara's contact and then dropped her phone back into her purse. "Now we both have each other's."

"Thanks. And thank you so much for everything today. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

Their eyes met and Kara had this overwhelming urge to lean closer and...

"KARA!"

The younger woman jumped and looked around to see Winn headed their way, chuckling and shaking her head as Cat laughed and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"Go on," the CEO said. "Let me know how you are later, ok?"

"Will do. Bye, Cat."

"Bye, Kara."

Cat backed out of the parking spot and pulled away, waving at Winn as she went, and leaving the two of them to watch her go. Then Kara turned around and sighed, bumping her forehead gently against the building's concrete wall. "What the hell am I doing?" she groaned.

"Huh?" Winn asked, confused.

The blonde hugged him hard. "Nothing. Thanks for coming over. Come on up."

xx

"What the hell am I doing?" Cat said out loud to herself as she poured a couple of fingers of scotch into an ice-filled glass. "Did I really just ask Kara Danvers out on a date?" She carried her glass out onto her living room balcony and sat in a comfortable chair, propping her feet up on a footstool.

It was late afternoon and she couldn't really concentrate on the book that was on the arm of the chair or the TV show she half-watched an hour earlier. Instead, she pulled her laptop onto her lap again and, this time, she did a different search. _Kara Danvers Sexual Assault_. She shuddered when a few nudes popped up which were clearly Kara's head on top of another woman's body, and quickly scrolled past them. Then she found a couple of websites with porn videos of a well-endowed actress called Kiera Danvers, which she also skipped by. But then an article caught her eye that made her pause and scroll back. She took a sip of her scotch and then opened it, skimming the first couple of lines and then focusing on Kara's name.

 _Triple gold medalist, Kara Danvers, 21, returned to the United States today, despite the rest of her team remaining in country for another week of vacation, after allegedly being assaulted in her hotel room the night of the closing ceremony. Neither the police, nor Miss Danvers were available for comment at the time of publishing but no arrests have been made at this time._

Cat tipped her head back to look at the sky, her chest aching with sorrow. Her suspicions seemed to be correct but no one could confirm it as the truth except Kara.

The CEO reached into her pocket and wiggled her phone out, smiling a little as she paused to look at the picture of Carter on her lock screen. She really did miss her son but she knew he was having fun with his father and his father's girlfriend… Linda? Melinda? Melanie? She sighed then and unlocked the phone to bring up a new message to Kara's contact.

 _Just checking in, Slugger. Hope you're feeling ok. Let me know if you need anything. Cat._

She was surprised to receive a reply a moment later.

 _You're sweet. Winn literally just left so I'm all good. I'm going to try to get some sleep now. I took more pain killers and I'm sleepy as hell. Talk to you later. K._

 _Sweet dreams._

xx

Kara was sitting in an armchair with her legs tucked up while Winn lounged on the couch with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"I was scared today," he admitted quietly. "When Mike came barreling into my office ranting about Max Lord trying to kill you, I swear, Kara, I almost passed out with fright."

"I bet. Jesus, I lost my temper so bad with him. He hit me and at first I froze but it was like… like something just snapped inside me and suddenly he was lying face down on the floor with a broken nose. I didn't even feel the pain in my hand until Cat came to me. Then I almost collapsed." Kara chuckled. "I'm not sure what would've happened if Cat hadn't been there."

"She's pretty great, huh?" Winn replied, he took a sip of beer and peeked at her over the rim of the bottle.

Kara smiled and looked down. "Yeah, she's really great. She stayed with me while the doctor was treating my hand. And she took me for lunch afterwards."

"Kara?"

"Hmm?" Kara took a sip of her club soda, blue eyes lifting in question.

"I know what happened to you was terrible but I worry about you being alone and I wish you'd consider getting back out there."

"You sound like Alex," Kara replied with an eye roll. "We had that conversation yesterday."

"Doesn't mean we're wrong," the man replied. "If you like Cat, ask her out."

"We're having dinner together."

"No excuses, Kara, I know you… wait… what" Winn sat forward on the couch in rapt attention. "What did you say?"

"Cat asked me out on a date."

"Wow. Well, I'm glad at least one of you has pair," the man teased.

Kara laughed at that. "Oh believe me, Cat Grant has bigger balls than both of us." She sighed then. "But yeah, I do like her. And I'm attracted to her… a lot. Like a babbling-idiot-sometimes a lot. She sees me, Winn. She doesn't let me put up walls and she called me out on my bullshit."

"Called you out how?" Winn asked curiously.

"She told me that my fear controls me, that she could see it just in the short time she's known me. And she's right, Winn. I do let it control me. I heard myself ask Cat today if she ever felt like the universe was out to get her because that's how I feel, Winn. I sometimes feel like it would be easier to just not be here. To go away somewhere completely new and start over."

Winn moved across the room to kneel in front of his friend. "I'd miss you, Kara," he said softly. "Besides, a new life is not what you need because you'll just bring your baggage with you. You need to unpack the baggage and make your life here better."

Kara leaned in and hugged him hard. "I'd miss you too." Then she smiled. "Cat said something just like that today… about the baggage, I mean. She told me that maybe we could help each other to unpack that baggage and she told me a story about something that happened to her when she was a child. It was bad, Winn. She almost didn't survive it."

"Wow, that's terrible," the man responded. "Did you tell her anything in return?"

"No." Kara took another sip of her soda. "But I think I should. I like her and if our date goes well and there are more dates, I don't want this between us. She needs to know what she's getting into." She paused then thoughtfully. "Besides, I think she already knows… or suspects really. She was going to ask me something in the restaurant when she was interrupted by the waitress but we never got back to it."

"Hmmm…" Winn got up and went to the kitchen to throw his bottle into the recycle bin. "Well, if she does know, she seems to be waiting for you to tell her in your own time." He grabbed his jacket then. "And on that note, I need to get going. Paul and the munchkin are waiting at home for me to go to a movie."

Just then, Kara's phone dinged and she picked it up, smiling as she saw from whom the text had come. Winn grinned and moved closer, grabbing the phone out of her hand and reading the message as she tried to grab it back. "Winnnnn!"

"Awwww," he grinned. "She called you Slugger again. That's so sweet and judging by the way your face is right now" He wiggled a finger at her. "You agree."

"Yeah, I agree," the instructor laughed. "Yes, I like her. Yes, I'll go to dinner with her."

Winn kissed the tip of his finger and touched the tip of her nose. "Get some rest, Honey. And I'm happy for you that you've found someone you like. Anyway, I gotta run. Bye, Kara."

Kara hugged him one last time. "Bye, Winn."


	6. Chapter 6

Drowning – Chapter Six

A/N: I'd like to warn you that this chapter contains some difficult and upsetting parts. Kara will tell Cat her story and it's not pretty. It was also difficult to write so please understand that I did my best.

* * *

Kara was bored. And Kara didn't do bored well. She went to _Breathe_ and ran on the treadmill. That took ninety minutes. She walked around the facility doing an inspection of the various locker rooms and made Winn do an inspection of the men's facilities. Then she walked the three main pools, inspecting them, followed by the teaching pools. Mike was giving a lesson and she gave him a wave as she went by. Kara walked the tennis and basketball courts, the artificial ski slopes and the spa areas. She even stopped by the kid's mini golf course. Everything looked great, which was a testament to both her own and Winn's high standards, along with their staff's dedication.

It was eleven now and Kara was bored. And Kara didn't do bored well. She grabbed a cup of coffee and sat at an outside table to kill a few minutes before going home. The sun was shining as usual and she relaxed back in her chair, closing her eyes behind her Raybans as she thought about where she was in her life and what she wanted to do in the future. Winn and _Breathe_ were her future; she knew that and had known it for a long time. His family was her family too and she loved them dearly but she couldn't help but wonder if she could have a family of her own someday.

As lost as she was in her own world, Kara didn't hear the footsteps approaching from behind her and she jumped a little when a pair of warm hands settled on her shoulders.

"So I guess if you haven't called me by now, you're not going to, huh?"

Kara sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Chloe."

The barista sat down with her own coffee and shrugged. "I'm not judging you, Kara. I know you don't do relationships. I was aware of that before we went out." She ran the tip of her finger around the rim of her cup and shrugged again. "I was stupid to think that I could change that."

"You're not stupid, Chloe, you're very sweet. I'm just… not really looking to change. I'm happy with where I am in my life right now and leading you on wouldn't be fair." Kara felt the lie in her chest even as the words were coming from her mouth. "But thank you for caring."

"How's the hand?" Chloe asked with a smile. "I'm so proud of you for taking that bastard down."

"It's meh," Kara chuckled. "And thanks. It actually felt good to fight back and not feel helpless."

"But…" the barista added. "Remind me to show you how to throw a proper punch that doesn't put you out of commission for two weeks."

"Will do," the instructor confirmed. "When I'm back to full strength."

"Awesome." Chloe looked down at her watch. "Ok, break time is over. Catch you later… Boss." And with a smile and a wink, she headed back toward the coffee shop.

Kara watched her go and then smiled to herself, wondering what Cat was doing, so she pulled out her phone to send a text message.

Xx

Cat was far from bored. Or so she kept telling herself. Cat Grant refused to believe that she was a workaholic or that she didn't have anything to do outside of CatCo so she got up early and walked in the park near her house. Then she went to the bakery to get some croissants and stopped to talk to her neighbor, who she had never met before, despite having lived in the neighborhood for eight years. After that, she took a croissant back to the park to feed the ducks. That killed all of two hours.

Cat sighed and sat on a park bench thinking about things. She loved CatCo. It was the second most important thing in her life after her children. She had spoken on the phone to Carter for over an hour the previous night and had heard all about his adventures at his favorite theme park and how he and… Linda? Melinda? Melanie? … had shared cotton candy at a fair while his Dad played ring-the-bottle to win an extra-large stuffed bear. The CEO had smiled all the way through the phone call, wishing that she could hug her son. She missed him so much.

Just then, her phone dinged and she fished it out of her pocket to find a text from Kara. Reading it instantly brought an even broader smile to her face.

 _Good morning! So… it's not even midday yet and I'm bored stupid. This hand is driving me crazy but at least it doesn't hurt too much. I woke up with a hell of a shiner though. How are you? Doing anything fun today?_

Cat immediately replied.

 _Sorry to hear about your black eye, but you'll agree when I say it was paid back in kind ;-) I'm kinda bored myself. I walked, fed some ducks and got some breakfast at the bakery near my house but I don't really have any other plans for today, since my swimming instructor had to cancel. How about you? Any plans for later?_

The CEO put her phone back in her pocket but a moment later, it dinged again.

 _So… fancy being not-bored together? Lunch?_

Cat sucked in a breath in surprise but she was more than willing to oblige.

Xx

 _Absolutely! Bravo's at one?_

Kara got up and headed for her car, eagerly typing her message back. She couldn't keep the grin off her face.

 _You got it! See you there!_

Fifteen minutes later, Kara was standing in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear. She had enough time to take a shower and make it to the restaurant just as long as she managed to pick an outfit. She finally settled on grey pants and a navy and cream striped button up. This was the first time she'd be seeing Cat outside the gym and she wanted to make a good impression.

After showering and drying her hair, Kara added some light makeup and then got dressed. She appraised herself in the mirror and nodded her satisfaction at her reflection before grabbing her wallet and keys and heading out the door to make it on time to Bravo's. It was an Italian restaurant, her favorite in fact, and she loved their thin crust pizza with all fresh ingredients.

Once in the car, Kara took a breath and realized that her hands were trembling. She'd invited Cat out on a lunch date, at least she hoped the CEO considered it to be a date, and was completely surprised at herself. She started the car and pulled out of her space to drive the ten minutes to the restaurant and, as she pulled into their parking lot, butterflies started dancing the mambo in her stomach. It was almost one o'clock. Kara had some time to just try to relax and she closed her eyes and breathed. Everything would be ok. She knew it. She just wished she could make the butterflies believe it too.

Xx

Cat chuckled to herself as she watched Kara sitting quietly in the car. She'd arrived a little early to the restaurant and had been seated at a table near an open window, which happened to be one that overlooked when her friend was parked. She could tell that Kara was nervous and, truth be told, Cat was too.

After a moment or two, Kara got out of the car and locked it behind her as she walked to the entrance of the restaurant and, when she stepped inside, Cat gave her a little wave and then stood up as the younger woman reached the table and pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head.

Kara's eyes widened. "You look beautiful," she said softly as she took in Cat's forest green dress and matching pumps.

"So do you," Cat replied. They shared a hug and then Kara kissed her friend's cheek. "It's really good to see you."

"You too," the instructor replied. "I've been thinking about you a lot… and I didn't want to wait for a dinner date."

Cat chuckled and ran her fingertip along the back of the younger woman's injured hand. "I was thinking about you too. I was worried. How's your face? You were right about having a hell of a shiner."

"It's ok. It's nothing I haven't had before. Swimming is surprisingly dangerous," Kara joked. "Well, when you've been drinking," she added sheepishly.

"I sense a story behind that," Cat replied with a sly smile.

The waiter came to take their drink orders and then scurried away again.

"Yeeeeeahh,' the instructor replied. "It was a long time ago. I was out partying with my friends in Metropolis and someone thought it was a good idea to see if I could swim as well drunk as I could sober. It turned into a dare and naturally, I couldn't say no."

"Naturally," Cat replied with a tiny smile on her lips.

"So we went to the local Y and found a pool and I stripped down to my underwear. I needed to be streamlined, of course."

"Of course." Cat was chuckling now.

"So I jumped in and started to swim as fast as I could but, as drunk as I was, I was soooo not moving in a straight line. I ended up at the end of the pool, swimming full speed into the handrail for the steps, face first."

"Oh my God, Kara. You could have given yourself a concussion!" Cat exclaimed.

"I did," the younger woman replied with a grimace. "But you know what? That wasn't even the worst thing about it. My sister was so mad at me that she grounded me for a week."

Cat laughed. "I didn't know you had a sister."

The waiter brought their drinks and they ordered a pizza to share.

"Her name's Alex. She's a medical doctor and bioengineer. She's the smartest person I know."

"So your Mom didn't find out about the concussion incident?" Cat asked.

"Oh… um… Our Mom passed away when we were young," Kara said. "She was a scientist, like Alex, and one of her experiments went wrong. There was a fire and… she didn't make it."

"Oh Kara, I'm so sorry," Cat said softly, taking the younger woman's hand and stroking it gently.

"It's ok." Kara's fingers curled around Cat's, accepting the comfort the older woman was offering. "I was fourteen when she died and Alex was eighteen so we've been kinda taking care of each other ever since."

The CEO smiled. "I can only imagine how proud she must be of the two of you. Does Alex live in National City?"

"Yeah, she does," Kara replied. "But she's away at a conference in London at the moment. Actually, the conference is finishing tomorrow and then she's spending a few days of vacation there. She hasn't been on vacation for a long time."

"Did Alex travel with you when you were competing?" Cat asked. She picked up her wine glass and took a sip, nodding in approval at the fruity taste.

"As much as she could," the younger blonde replied. "She couldn't always travel with me but I had my coach as a chaperone until I was eighteen anyway so it worked out."

"And after you turned eighteen?" the CEO asked.

"Then I was mostly on my own. Alex travelled to the Olympics with me though after Mom died. She always stayed at the village with me while I was competing." Kara stopped talking and picked up her wine. She sipped thoughtfully for a moment and then met Cat's eyes. "At the restaurant yesterday, there was something you wanted to ask me but the waitress interrupted you."

The older woman nodded and leaned forward in her chair. "Yes, there was. But I don't think it's my place to ask that question. I'd rather let you tell me in your own time."

Kara nodded and reached for Cat's hand again smiling as the older woman accepted her offer. "It's hard for me to talk about what I'm going to tell you, Cat, but I think that we agree that we'd like to see where this…" She indicated between the two of them "… is going, so you need to know some things about me."

The waiter brought their pizza and Cat placed a slice on each of their plates. Kara took a big bite and hummed happily. "Sooooo goooooood."

"I know, right?" The older woman replied. "I love this place. It's my favorite Italian restaurant in this area."

"Mine too," Kara agreed. She finished the rest of her slice and then took a deep breath. "So, I think you already suspect what happened to me at the last Olympics but I want to share the whole story with you. It's really hard for me to get through so please bear with me."

"Of course," Cat replied gently. "Take your time, Darling. I'm here."

For a long moment, Kara said nothing but then she opened her mouth and began her story.

"Two thousand fourteen," she began slowly. "It was the night of the closing ceremony, and Alex and I were celebrating my three gold medals with the other Team USA swimmers. We had gone out to dinner after the ceremony and we'd had a lot to drink. All of us did, since we'd been on strict diets for a long time and we wanted to let our hair down a little." She chuckled. "Looking back, we were like prisoners who had been released from our cells and given a platinum credit card to have fun with."

"I bet." Cat chuckled and set out two more slices of pizza. Kara ate all of hers before she went on.

"Alex and I were going to stay on for a few days of vacation. It was kinda normal for the athletes to do that, but we couldn't stay at the Olympic Village so we got a hotel room for a week so we could do some sightseeing. Anyway, that night, Alex met someone. She was really cute, I remember, and they hit it off straight away. Of course, being the wonderful and caring sister that she is, Alex and her girl made sure I got back to the hotel room safely before heading off for a little alone time."

Cat nodded. "Alex sounds like an amazing sister."

"She really is," Kara replied with a genuine smile. "And I love her more than anything." She took a deep breath. "So… I'd changed and fallen into bed but something woke me up a short time later." Her eyes focused on the plate in front of her for a long moment. "Someone had forced open the door and when I woke up, there were four men standing around my bed. I, of course, freaked out and started yelling for them to get out but one of the men closed and locked the door and…" Kara's breath hitched and Cat's grip on her hand tightened. "I remember the first guy put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming while the three others held my legs open and my arms over my head. The first guy… as he ripped my clothes off… said he was going to thaw my icy exterior and… he… he raped me while the others watched and laughed."

Tears began to rise in Kara's eyes and she quickly wiped them away. Cat sucked in a breath, willing away her own tears. "Oh Kara," she whispered.

"They took turns," the younger woman went on, her voice tight with emotion. "But I managed to get a hand free and wrenched the last guy's hand off my mouth. I screamed, Cat. I screamed for help as loud as I could for as long as I could until finally I heard someone banging on the door." She wiped her face with a napkin and took another sip of her wine. "It was Winn. He was staying in the room next door and had come back while I was asleep. He was banging on the door and begging me to let him in but I couldn't move. They still had me pinned to the bed and everything hurt so badly. I just wanted to die." Her face crumpled into tears but she recovered quickly and took some deep breaths. "The men panicked and finally let me go while they got their clothes back on. All I could do was wrap myself in a sheet and watch as they opened the door and punched Winn until he finally stayed down."

She was quiet for a moment and Cat reached over to wipe some tears from her face with her thumb. "I can't even imagine what you've been through."

Kara nodded. "When Winn finally came to and came into the room, he called the police and then just sat on the bed next to me. I couldn't let him touch me. I felt violated, dirty, ashamed, angry… but he just sat with me until the police arrived and I was taken to the hospital. That's where Alex found me after Winn had managed to track down her cell number." She shook her head then. "But you know what the worst thing was about the whole situation?"

"What?" Cat asked.

"I was able to identify the men who had raped me. They were athletes from another country who were obviously used to getting anything they wanted. And they had rich parents and sponsors. The police told me that there wasn't enough evidence from the rape kit to actually charge them. How is that even possible, Cat? Four men, four rapes, two witnesses and no evidence at all against them? They walked away free and went home, while I was left to come back to the States to recover. I couldn't stay there, Cat. I couldn't bare to be there. So I just had Alex take me home. Between the bruises and bite marks and the vaginal damage, it took weeks for me to recover fully. I still have some scars."

Without a word, Cat got up and moved across the booth to sit beside Kara. She pulled the younger woman into her arms and just held her close, not caring who saw them. At first Kara's body was stiff but slowly she began to relax and finally melted into the CEO's embrace. "I have nightmares, Cat," she whispered. "I wake up screaming most nights and you need to know in case you want to back out of this thing between us. It's a lot and I have some problems with intimacy…"

But Cat just held Kara tighter. "Shhh… I'm not backing out, Kara. I know we just met, but I care for you and I'm not backing out."

The younger woman sniffled and nodded against Cat's shoulder. "Ok," she replied as she eased back to smile at her friend. Cat ran her fingers through Kara's blonde hair, pushing it back from her face.

"I think we could both do with some more wine," she said but she didn't make any effort to move back to her own seat. Instead, she refilled both glasses from the chilled bottle on the table and then held Kara's hand in her lap as they quietly sipped together, their fingers entwined in a promise of a new beginning for them both.


	7. Chapter 7

Drowning Chapter Seven

A/N: Cat and Kara get to know each other a little better.

* * *

"What's your take on what happened? Why were those men released without charge?" Cat asked as she refilled hers and Kara's glasses again. They had switched to water, knowing they had to drive.

"I think the detectives were paid to downplay the whole thing and to let my rapists go... maybe so the story wouldn't leak to the media and their careers wouldn't be ruined. But there's no way I could prove any of that. Even if there WAS evidence, it's probably destroyed by now." Kara sighed and leaned against Cat's shoulder. "I've tried so hard to not feel like a victim, Cat, but every day is a struggle."

"I can understand why," the CEO replied softly. Their fingers were still entwined and she stroked the back of Kara's hand with her thumb, mindful of her injury. "Have you talked to someone?"

"Yeah," Kara nodded. "I have a therapist. She's helped me to the point where I'm not cringing at every little noise and I can look at my scars in a mirror without crying. I was a mess, Cat, and even Alex couldn't help me. She has so much guilt of her own. I thought she was getting over it but she told me on the phone a couple of days ago that she still feels like it was her fault for leaving me alone in the room."

"Maybe Alex needs to talk to a therapist," the CEO suggested. "Is she the type of person who takes care of everyone except herself?"

The younger blonde nodded. "Yeah, she is. I'd love for you to meet her when she gets back from England."

"It would be my pleasure," Cat smiled. "I wonder if she'll approve of me?"

"Alex approves of anyone who makes me happy," Kara stated with a smile. "So, yeah, she'll approve of you."

"I make you happy?" Cat asked softly.

The instructor nodded. "Yes, being with you makes me happy."

Cat kissed Kara's temple impulsively, smiling as the younger woman blushed and looked down. "Want to take a walk with me? I know a place with really good ducks."

Xx

"Awww… look at those babies," Kara pointed. "They're so tiny and fluffy."

"See the one with brown on its head?" Cat replied.

"Yeah, I see it."

"It really likes croissants. I almost lost a finger this morning when it stole half my breakfast."

Kara laughed. "I don't believe that for a second. I think you felt sorry for them and voluntarily gave them half your breakfast."

Cat shrugged. "They looked hungry and, ok, yes, I gave them a croissant but I DID almost lose a finger." She held up the injured digit and Kara saw a tiny red mark, no doubt made by a tiny duck beak. "See?"

"Horrific," Kara teased but she pulled the finger closer and kissed it. "There, all better."

"Thank you kindly," the older woman replied. She took Kara's hand again and they strolled on. "So how did you get into swimming?"

"Alex," Kara replied. "We grew up together a little up the coast from here, in Midvale. Alex surfed every day and she was really good at it. She taught me to swim and I fell in love with it completely. I swam every day, before school and after. I started competing locally, and then at the state and national levels and by the time I was thirteen, my times and age qualified me for the Olympics. I barely made it though, so I was super-surprised to win a bronze. Truth be told, I only won it because the girl in third place got a really bad leg cramp and had to withdraw, so I beat her into the slot."

"Ahh," Cat chuckled.

"But after that," Kara went on. "I just worked harder. I was determined to properly earn my place. And I guess I did."

"I suppose you didn't get a lot of time to date," the older woman said as she spotted an ice cream truck and guided Kara toward it.

"No, I didn't get much time to do anything other than swimming and working out at the gym. I used to be able to bench press my own weight but I don't think I could do that now."

"What about your first kiss?"

Kara chuckled lightly. "I was somewhat of a late bloomer. I was seventeen before I had my first kiss. It was with this guy who was… I guess you'd call him a groupie?"

"Ice-cream?" Cat asked.

"Mint choc please."

The older woman handed over Kara's cone and then took her own as she paid the ice cream guy. "Thanks." She turned back to Kara then and they walked on. "I didn't know that athletes had groupies."

Kara laughed. "You'd be surprised. I had fans that followed me around all my competitions to the point where I started recognizing their faces, and this one guy in particular was really cute. I bumped into him one night and we talked and…" She shrugged. "He kissed me."

"And how did you react?" the CEO asked curiously.

"I kissed him back and then freaked out and ran away," Kara laughed. "I was a complete dork back then."

"And how about now?" Cat asked with a little smile. "What would you do if someone kissed you now?"

"It would depend on who's doing the kissing," Kara replied with a teasing grin. "I still have the potential for being a dork."

"What if it was me?" Cat let the question hang in the air before looking at Kara, whose cheeks were tinted pink.

"I might freak out but I wouldn't run away," the instructor replied softly.

They had reached a shaded, more secluded part of the trail. It was quiet and peaceful, with only the singing of birds to break the stillness. Cat stopped walking and tugged a little on Kara's hand, bringing her closer, all the while admiring the play of light and shadow in her beautiful eyes.

"God, you're stunning," she whispered and reached up to push Kara's hair back behind one ear. The younger woman's hands moved to Cat's waist as she moved even closer.

"I was thinking the same thing about you," Kara replied.

It was a perfect moment when Cat's hand moved to cup Kara's cheek and draw her face closer and, when their lips met for the first time, they both felt a spark of energy pass between them that spurred them on to deepen the contact. Eyes closed, breaths mingling, tongues reaching out, seeking more and, when they finally eased back, Kara could hardly catch her breath. She kissed Cat's forehead and hugged her close.

"Are you freaking out?" Cat asked with a soft smile.

"No… um… well... Maybe?" Kara replied. "But it felt great."

"Yes. It did," Cat agreed as she closed her eyes and relaxed against her friend. The stillness was broken then by the ringing of Cat's phone and she sighed softly. "Sorry, I'm expecting a call from my son."

"Go ahead," Kara replied, not making any effort to let the older woman go so Cat just pulled the device out of her pocket and brought it to her ear.

"Hi Honey, how are you?"

 _Excellent, Mom! Dad just got me a new bike. It has tons of gears and a cycle computer!_

"That sounds really cool," Cat replied, smiling as Kara chuckled. "Are you still having a good time with your Dad and Melanie?"

Carter sounded exasperated. _It's Melissa, Mom._

"Right! Sorry... Melissa."

 _But yeah, it's been so much fun. I miss you though. A lot._

Kara tightened her arms around Cat as the older woman's breathing hitched. "I miss you too, Honey, but you only have a week left with your Dad so make the most of it."

 _I will. Is the CatCo jet picking me up or...?_

Cat nodded to herself. "Yes. I've already made the arrangements with your Dad. He knows where to take you and I'll be waiting for you on the tarmac when you get back to National City."

 _Ok, Mom. I'd better go. I love you._

"I love you too, Carter. Talk to you soon. Bye."

Kara eased back to smile at Cat as she slipped her phone back into her pocket. "He sounds like a great kid."

"He is," the older woman replied with a proud grin. "He's smart and sweet."

"Sounds just like his Mom." Kara kissed Cat gently on the lips and then released her so they could continue walking. "So, what do you like to do in your spare time?"

Cat snorted a laugh. "I forgot that you've only ever seen me on vacation. I normally don't have any spare time. But I do like playing board games with Carter and watching movies with him. How about you?"

"I don't have a lot of free time either but I like movies too and food and wine tastings. And when I can find time, I love to read."

They walked on in companionable silence for a while until Kara took a breath. "You have a jet?"

Cat laughed. "Well, my company has a jet but, yeah, I'd guess you could say that it's mine."

Blue eyes widened. "I never even... Cat, you're pretty rich, aren't you?"

The older woman shrugged. "Yes. I've done well for myself over the years. But money doesn't make me happy, Kara. Don't get me wrong, it helps, but it's not everything. The people you love are everything."

The instructor nodded. "I've done pretty well for myself too but you're right. If it weren't for Winn and Alex, I'd be alone."

"But you meet so many people every day at Breathe," Kat replied. "You've never met anyone you'd want to be friends with or date?"

"Sure, I have acquaintances there but I have a strict no-dating-clients policy," Kara replied with a shrug.

Cat looked down at herself and then up at Kara. "So, you're making an exception for me?"

Again, Kara shrugged. "I had no choice," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You seem to sneak past all of my defenses."

"Kara, how do you feel about this? Us, I mean. Is this ok? I know we only met a couple of days ago..." Cat sighed. "Some might think it's moving too fast."

The younger blonde nodded. "Do you feel that way? Are we moving too fast?"

"No," Cat chuckled. "I would have kissed you yesterday if I could have."

"Me too," Kara grinned. "So, no, I don't feel like we're moving too fast." She paused then. "But moving forward is going to mean baby steps for me, ok? I haven't been in a relationship with anyone for a long time and I'm still gun-shy."

"I understand completely, Darling," Cat replied. "We'll take this as slowly as you need to, I promise."

Kara wrapped her arm around Cat's shoulders and pulled her in close against her, bumping hips with her as they walked. "Thank you."

Then Cat's phone rang again and she fished it back out of her pocket. It was CatCo and she frowned at Kara as she answered it. "This is Cat Grant." She listened for a moment and then stopped walking, easing away from Kara and rubbing her forehead worriedly. "Was anyone hurt?" Kara watched her begin pacing. "How much damage?" The older woman ran a hand through her hair. "Shit. Ok... I'll be there as quickly as I can. James, make sure the people who got hurt get the best medical care, no expenses spared."

"What is it?" Kara asked worriedly.

"A gas leak caused a small explosion and a fire on one of the lower floors of my building. I need to get over there."

"Of course," Kara replied as they quickly headed back toward the parking lot where they'd parked. "Do you want me to drop you to your car or just bring you straight to CatCo?"

Cat weighed the question in her mind for a moment. "Can you bring me straight to CatCo please? I can take a cab back to my car later."

"Don't be silly, Cat," Kara interjected. "I'll wait for you and take you back later. It's the least I can do after everything you did for me yesterday."

Cat just nodded. "Thank you, Kara."


	8. Chapter 8

Drowning Chapter Eight

A/N: Warning for some more description of Kara's rape.

* * *

It was organized chaos outside the _Catco Worldwide Media_ building downtown. A large section of the street was blocked off by the police so Kara parked as close as she could to the barrier and ran with Cat to the nearest police officer, standing guard.

"I'm Cat Grant," Cat said breathlessly, showing him her ID. "I own this building. What's the status?"

"Let me bring you to the man in charge," the officer replied, lifting the tape for Kara and Cat to duck under.

They followed him as he walked towards a tall man, who was giving orders to a group of officers. "Sir?" the officer interrupted. "This is Cat Grant, the owner of the building. Ms. Grant, this is Lieutenant Joe West."

"Lieutenant," Cat greeted as she shook his hand. "This is my friend, Kara Danvers. Can you give us an update on what's happening. All I know is that there was an explosion of some sort and a fire?"

"Yes, Ma'am," West replied. "There were some renovations for a new restaurant going on, on floor six and apparently a gas line ruptured and caused an explosion. The fire department is working on it right now but we thought it best to evacuate the building in case the fire spreads." He looked around. "We've been bringing folks down as fast as possible and the building is almost clear."

Cat nodded. "Thank you. You did the right thing. Lieutenant, I'm going to find my assistant editor-in-chief and check on my staff. I'll be back shortly."

She took Kara by the hand and led her through the crowd until she spotted James Olsen and changed direction. "James!"

"Miss Grant! Wow, what a mess!" James was tall and handsome and Kara had to look up to meet his eyes. The assistant editor-in-chief raised an eyebrow at Cat. "Who do we have here?"

"James Olsen, this is Kara Danvers. She's a close friend of mine." Cat thought it best to not try to label anything until she and Kara had discussed next steps in their relationship.

"Miss Danvers," James greeted with a smile, all while casting a sideways look at Cat. "It's nice to meet you." He offered his hand.

"You too," Kara replied as she took his hand and shook it.

"So, what's happening?" Cat asked. "Did everyone from our floors get out?"

"Yes," James replied. "I ordered an evacuation before the fire department did, so our staff was some of the first people down. I've already done a head count and everyone is accounted for."

"Excellent, so no one from our staff was injured?"

"Just one lady, I think her name is Janine, twisted her ankle in the rush on the stairs. I sent her to the hospital to get it looked at. There are reports of some people from the other companies suffering from smoke inhalation and two or three minor burn injuries. Nothing sounds like it's too serious though. The fire was contained mostly inside the kitchen on floor six apparently."

Cat nodded, relieved. Kara felt her trembling and rested a supportive hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. The CEO reached up to cover Kara's hand with her own and leaned against her taller friend. "Ok," she replied thoughtfully. "What else can we do?"

"Maybe you could talk to the staff?" James suggested. "Reassure them that everything is under control? I think that would mean a lot more coming from you than me."

Cat straightened. "Can you show me where they are?"

"Sure," James replied. "This way."

Kara and Cat followed the tall man to a group of people, most of whom Cat recognized. She stepped up onto a small wall to address everyone. "Is everyone ok?" A round of nods moved through the group. "Ok, good. Does anyone feel like they need medical attention?" Shaking heads made her instantly feel better. "Ok, here's what I know so far. There was a new restaurant being fitted on floor six and a gas line in the kitchen area ruptured and caused the fire. There were a few injuries and those people are being cared for. The fire department is working on bringing the fire under control so we won't be re-entering the building today. I want you all to go home and also take the day off tomorrow. I want to make sure that the building is safe and clear of smoke or any other dangerous elements. Check the Catco emergency line on Monday morning to make sure it's ok to come back. Be safe and have a good weekend." Then she stepped down from the wall and moved back to Kara.

Murmurs of pleasure moved through the group and the instructor grinned. Everyone loved a long weekend. She whispered in Cat's ear. "You're a popular boss today."

"Just being practical," Cat replied. "The smell of smoke will permeate through the building. Best to give it til Monday to clear."

"Excuse me, are you Cat Grant?" A shorter man in firefighter gear was hovering nearby with Lieutenant West.

"Yes," Cat replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Good. I'm Captain Pruitt Herrera. I wanted to give you an update on the situation. The fire on floor six is out and my team is doing their final sweep to make sure it doesn't relight anywhere outside the kitchen area. The gas line that ruptured has been isolated and is safe now."

"Thank you, Captain. I appreciate the update. Is it safe to re-enter the building?" the CEO asked.

"I'd recommend that everyone stay out of the building until Monday. There's smoke in the ventilation system and we'd like to give it time to clear."

"Of course, Captain. I understand. Thank you."

Captain Herrera shook her hand and headed back to his team followed by the Lieutenant. Kara looked around at all of the people who were still milling around. "So what do we do now?" she asked.

Cat looked at her phone. She had a lot of missed calls and texts. "Now," she said with a sigh. "I have to respond to all these tenant calls and messages. Everyone wants to know what to do next."

"Sounds like you need to compose a message and send it to everyone who contacted you," Kara suggested. "Why don't you do that while I drive you back to your car. It's clear that there's nothing more you can do here."

"True," the CEO agreed. "Ok, just give me a moment to talk to James. I'll be back shortly."

"Sure." Kara took a seat on a low wall and pulled out her phone, scrolling through her Facebook posts as Cat headed back toward James.

"So." The CEO took the tall man aside and spoke in a low voice. "We're sure this was an accident?"

James nodded. "Seems to be. The firefighters didn't say anything about arson or anything like that."

"Good," Cat replied. "We don't need any more worries on our plates, James."

"Agreed. So, Miss Grant, is that the Kara Danvers that you asked me to look into?"

Cat chuckled. "Things have changed. Kara told me everything I wanted to know."

James lifted a brow. "You seem… close."

"Getting there, I hope," the CEO replied softly. "It's early days yet, James."

"Well, I hope it works out for you both. I'm going to head home now. You should get back to your vacation. There's nothing more to do here." James smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder. "Have a good weekend, Miss Grant."

"You too, James," Cat replied and headed back to find Kara.

Xx

"There, all sent," Cat said with a relieved sigh. "Everyone has the facts. What they decide to do with them is their choice. My recommendation is to stay out of the building till at least Monday."

They had pulled up beside Cat's car in the Bravo's parking lot. "I loved being with you today," Kara said with a smile. "Even if it didn't go quite as we thought."

The CEO laughed lightly. "We've had quite an… exciting… few days."

"We have," Kara agreed. "I have some work to do tomorrow and I'm spending Saturday with Winn and his family. Can I see you on Sunday maybe?"

"It's a date," Cat replied. "Come to my house on Sunday at lunch?"

Kara smiled back and nodded. "I'd love to. Text me your address?"

"I most certainly will," the CEO replied. Then she leaned on the center console to share a long kiss with the younger blonde.

"I can't wait," Kara replied as they eased apart. "See you on Sunday."

Cat pushed the door open and stepped out. "See you then, Darling."

Xx

It was nine and dark outside when Kara's phone rang, Alex's name displaying on the screen.

"Jeez, it's five in the morning where you are, Alex. Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I just got in," Alex replied, her speech a little slurred. "The night clubs open till three here and then it's expected that you go somewhere for a late night kebab. Sooo… I've just arrived back in my room and I miss you so I thought I'd call."

"You're sweet," Kara replied, smiling widely. "A little drunk, but sweet. Are you having a good time?"

"Hell, yeah!" Alex exclaimed. "London is awesome. I went to see a West End show tonight with a really nice woman from Toronto I met at the conference. We went to dinner afterwards and then on to a club. My feet hurt."

"Didn't bring your dancing shoes, huh?" Kara chuckled. "I'm glad you're having fun, Alex. You deserve it."

"So how about you, Kid?" Alex asked. "How have you been?"

"Well…" Kara lifted her legs up and lay flat on her couch. "It's been an unusual few days. I last talked to you on Tuesday after my swimming lesson with Cat Grant."

"Right," Alex agreed. " And I was asking you to get back out there and date."

"I had another lesson with her yesterday morning but Max turned up at _Breathe_ again and hit me in front of her."

"ASSHOLE!" Alex exclaimed. "I swear I'm going to kill that bastard."

"No need, Al. I punched him and knocked him clean out. The police took him away and he's being charged with violating a restraining order and assault."

"Kara! That's fantastic. You're my hero! What happened then? Are you ok?"

The instructor sighed. "I sprained my right hand really badly so I'm in a brace and I can't swim or teach for a couple of weeks."

"Shit," Alex sighed.

"But something good did come out of it," the blonde replied softly. "Cat…"

"What about Cat?" Alex asked impatiently.

"Cat brought me to the hospital and stayed with me the whole time. Then she brought me out for lunch and to pick up my pain meds."

"Sweet of her," the doctor commented.

"And… she asked me out on a dinner date."

"Oh my God," Alex crowed excitedly. "You said yes, right?"

"I did. Then this morning, I… I didn't want to wait so I texted her and asked her out for lunch. We talked, Alex, and I told her about the rapes and stuff and she was amazing and just listened and held my hand."

"Awwww," Alex replied. "I love her already."

Kara chuckled. "I knew you would. We went for a walk in the park near the restaurant we ate at, and we talked some more."

Alex waited and then prodded her sister. "And…"

"I know it's… it's soon and it's scary but I really wanted…" She paused a took a breath. "We kissed."

There was silence for a moment and then Alex whooped down the phone. "YES! Oh my God, YES!"

Kara laughed. "Alex, be quiet. You'll wake the people in the rooms next to yours."

"Whoops," Alex whispered. "Oh my fucking God! I can't believe it. Who kissed whom?"

"It kinda… well… we kinda both kissed each other." The younger sister sighed. "But then she got a call to say her building was on fire so we had to go and handle that."

"Her building?" Alex repeated, confused. "Wait… Cat Grant… THE Cat Grant? CEO of CatCo Worldwide Media?!"

"You know her?" Kara asked, surprised.

"Jeez, who doesn't," Alex shot back. "Wow, I'm so happy for you, Kara. Do you like her?"

The younger Danvers smiled softly. "Yeah, I really like her, Alex. I've only known her for a few days but I really feel a connection to her and I think she feels the same. I told her I needed to take things slowly and I have some plans for the next couple of days so we're seeing each other again on Sunday."

"I love you, Kid. I really hope this works out for you and hey, I want to meet her as soon as I get back there. I'll be home next Friday evening."

"Maybe let's give it a bit of time," Kara chuckled. "I'll see next Friday."

"Alright. Well, I'd better get some sleep. The closing speech of the conference is at noon and I have to hobnob with some other MDs at lunch before I can officially start my vacation. Goodnight, Kara."

"Night, Alex. I love you."

Xx

Three in the morning.

 _"She's a sweet thing. Pity she's so unfriendly."_

" _Let me go. Get the fuck off me."_

" _Hmmm… such language from that pretty mouth. I'm going to thaw that icy exterior, Princess."_

 _The man shoved something into her mouth to quiet her. Kara struggled as hard as she could against the men holding her down but there were four of them and they were too strong. She cried out as her legs were roughly jerked apart and the first man entered her hard and fast. Tears streamed down her face as he groaned and tipped his head back, pushing roughly inside her again and again and when he had finished, he moved away and the next man came and it started again… and then again… and then…_

Kara woke up screaming and fighting her sheets as they tangled around her twisting body. It took her a while to recover and she lay, crying softly for a few moments as the nightmare faded from her mind. "Shit," she whispered as she untangled herself and got out of bed to go to the kitchen. She was drenched with sweat and her body felt chilled in her apartment's air conditioning so she drank some orange juice straight from the carton and went back to her bedroom to strip out of her damp pajamas and fall back into bed.

After thinking about it for a few minutes, Kara pulled her phone off the nightstand and opened a text message to Cat.

 _I know it's the middle of the night and I know you're sleeping but I just need to get this out. I had a particularly bad nightmare tonight and I woke up really wishing you were here with me. I feel safe when I'm with you, Cat. I really don't understand how I've come to feel this way in such a short amount of time... but I do. Sweet dreams._

Kara set her phone back into its charging cradle and lay still in the darkness of her room until finally, sleep took her once more.


	9. Chapter 9

Drowning Chapter Nine

A promise from Kara to Cat and a spot of lunch with the boys.

* * *

Kara flopped into her chair dejectedly and opened the lid of her laptop. She was back at _Breathe_ and working through a few housekeeping items she needed to do as co-owner, but she was really tired and was suffering a major dream hangover that had her in a less than sunny mood.

She put her AirPods in and turned on some music as she worked, ignoring outside distraction until she couldn't help but notice Winn coming up to stand next to her. She pulled an AirPod out, stopping the music, and leaned back in her chair.

"Hi."

"Hi, Kar."

She waited for a moment, then lifted a hand and an eyebrow. "Can I help you with something?"

"Something's bothering you," the man replied.

Kara sighed. "What makes you think that?" she asked, somewhat snippily.

"Oh I don't know," Winn replied. "Maybe the giant crinkle between your eyebrows? Seriously, Kara, I saw the damn thing coming before I saw the rest of you."

"Huh?" Kara asked, the crinkle getting deeper.

"Never mind," her friend sighed. "Getting back to my original question. What's wrong?"

"Nothing new… I just didn't get very good sleep last night. I had nightmares," she replied with a shrug. She picked up her water bottle and took a large gulp. "I'm tired of them."

"What does your therapist say about them?"

Kara was quiet for a moment and then shook her head. "Winn, sorry… I really don't want to talk about it, ok? I need to get this paperwork done and the police still want to get my signature on a formal statement so I have to deal with that."

"Ok," Winn replied. "I get it. So… how are things with you and Cat?"

At that, Kara smiled. "We had lunch yesterday and took a walk in the park. It was great."

"I see," the man grinned. "Sounds like you had fun."

"We did. And she invited me to her house on Sunday for lunch too," Kara added as her phone dinged. She glanced at it. "Speak of the devil," she grinned, her mood immediately lifting.

"I expect all the details tomorrow," her friend replied in a stern voice. "No dodging."

"Ok, I'll tell all tomorrow." Winn headed for the door. "Hey…" He paused and looked back. "Thanks for caring."

"Always."

Xx

Cat read and re-read Kara's text message from the night before as she lay in bed. The words both elated her and broke her heart. The raw truth in them spoke volumes and she took a moment to just let them sink in before replying to Kara.

A text message back wasn't enough though, she felt. So she sent a quick text asking a simple question.

 _Hi Darling. Can I call you?_

The reply came quickly. _Sure. I'm just in my office at Breathe so call whenever you like._

Cat got up and went to the kitchen to quickly make some coffee, then brought it into the living room and tucked herself up into an armchair. She dialed Kara's contact and it was answered after only a couple of rings.

 _Good morning, Cat._

"Good morning. You're back at work today?"

 _Yeah, I had some paperwork to do. Nothing strenuous. I thought I'd get it out of the way before next week._

"Sounds like a plan," Cat smiled. "I got your text message."

Soft breathing came down the line. _Was it too much?_

"No, of course not. In fact I want you to know that you could have called me," Cat replied.

 _At three in the morning?_

"Kara, you can call me at any time of the night or day that you need to," Cat reassured.

 _I don't want my bullshit to drive you away._

Cat closed her eyes for a moment. "Not backing out, remember?"

Kara's voice grew tight. _I know, but you haven't seen it all yet._

"Kara, I've suffered through nightmares myself over the years. I know how debilitating they can be. I bet you're still feeling upset about it this morning."

 _Yeah, I am. I didn't even really want to talk to Winn today. He asked me what my therapist thinks of the nightmares and I just couldn't go there._

Cat smiled. "Darling, there's no rule about having to tell your friends everything, you know."

 _Yeah, but he's always been there for me and I've never kept anything from him. A huge part of me wants to move on and never think about it again but my subconscious keeps bringing it up, over and over. It's exhausting._

"Maybe you could explain that to him tomorrow when you're there. I assume that his husband knows?" Cat asked.

 _Yes, Paul knows. I just don't know how to move past this, Cat. I feel like I've been spinning on it for so long._

"I wish I could hug you," Cat murmured.

 _Me too. But we'll be seeing each other on Sunday. I'll expect a huge hug then._

"You can count on it." Cat paused a moment. "Kara… call me if you need me, ok? Promise me."

I _promise, Cat._ Kara swallowed and then sighed. _I have to get going. I have to stop by the police station to sign the statement I gave over the phone._

"Ok, Darling. Talk to you later," Cat replied.

 _Later, Honey._

Cat ended the call and then grinned to herself. _She called me Honey_.

Xx

Kara felt better. The day before had been uneventful in the end. She'd finished her work at _Breathe_ , spent some time reviewing and signing her statement at the police station and then spent a quiet evening in, watching Netflix and enjoying some cold beer and pot stickers.

Now, she was walking along the corridor to Winn and Paul's apartment, wine and snacks in a bag in one hand and a large truck in gift wrap under her other arm. She was dressed casually in jeans and a Wonder Woman t-shirt. Like a lot of humans, Kara had a crush on Gal Gadot and had seen the movie at least twenty times.

Kara hit the door bell and stuck her tongue out at the camera over it, chuckling as the door was immediately opened by an adorable five-year-old, who was sticking his tongue out, right back at her. "Aunt Kara!"

"Dude!" The blonde set her stuff down and scooped him up into a big hug, blowing a raspberry on his cheek and making him squirm and giggle. She settled him onto her good arm as Paul leaned in to kiss her cheek and then grab her stuff off the floor.

"Hey Kara," he said. "Come on in." He was a muscular man, taller than Winn, with dark hair and eyes. "Danny has been waiting three whole sleeps for you to come over."

"Three whole sleeps? Wow, that's a long time, Bud." Kara hugged the little boy again. "Want to see what I brought you?"

"Is it a truck?" Danny asked, pointing a finger at the wrapped parcel in his Dad's hands.

Kara grinned. The package was indeed truck shaped. "Well unwrap it and find out!"

"My kid is sharp." Winn added. He was coming down the corridor from the bedroom and trotted over to give Kara a hug.

Paul folded his arms and tilted his head. "How come he's your kid when he's being smart and mine when he's misbehaving?"

Winn grinned and kissed his husband's cheek. "Well, I'm not the one who's always misbehaving," he said, waggling his eyebrows. "Come on into the living room, Kara. I'll pour us some wine."

Danny was finished unwrapping his truck and he ran back to Kara, crashing into her legs to hug them tightly. "Thanks, Aunt Kara. I love my truck. It's so cool!"

She stroked his hair and bent over to kiss the top of his head. "You're welcome, Bud."

They made their way into the living room and took seats while Danny made truck noises while playing with his truck on the floor. Winn handed out glasses of wine and a snack platter. "Feeling better today, Kara?" he asked.

"Yeah," the blonde replied. "I'm sorry about not being in a good mood yesterday. I shouldn't have been snippy."

"I can count on one hand the number of times you've been snippy. Believe me, you're forgiven," Winn chuckled. "Do you want to talk about your nightmare now?"

Kara glanced at Danny and lifted an eyebrow. "Little pitchers?"

"Hey Dan," Paul said. "Why don't you take your truck into your room and play there for a while? Daddy and I need to talk about grownup stuff with Aunt Kara, ok?"

"Ok, Dad," the boy replied amiably. He picked up his truck and juice box and headed down the corridor.

"He's so good," Kara said softly. "You're so lucky." She picked up her wine and sipped thoughtfully, wondering if Cat would want any more children. Then the shock of the thought hit her and she choked a bit on the fruity beverage. Kids? With Cat? What? She shook her head and looked back at her friends who were watching her with interest. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Clearly," Paul teased. "Where did your mind go just then?"

"Uh... never mind... it was just a weird random thought. So... back to the nightmare. It was just the usual. Reliving the rapes. Bad memories." She looked at Winn. "You weren't in it this time though. It ended before the last guy... um... that's weird. Normally it goes all the way through to the end and I wake up screaming for you." She paused a moment. "I think I remember calling out to someone else though... asking for help... but it's so sketchy."

"What did you do when you woke up?" Winn asked. "Did you have an urge to call me or anything. I think you said that before."

"I went to the kitchen for orange juice and then I went back to bed." Kara thought for a moment. "And I texted Cat. I was wishing she was there to..." She stopped talking and rubbed her eyes. "I guess it was Cat I had the urge to talk to this time."

Winn and Paul exchanged meaningful looks. Then the shorter man leaned forward in his chair. "Kara, what's happening with you and Cat."

"We've just had lunch together a couple of times, walked in the park, shared a kiss..." Kara took a sip of wine to let all that sink in.

"Wait... you kissed?" Paul confirmed. "Like... full on tongues?"

Kara's face turned a little pink. "Paul!" She chuckled then. "Yeah. It was a great kiss."

"Wow..." Winn grinned. "And how do you feel about... all that?"

"Surprisingly calm," the blonde replied with a shrug. "We kissed again when I dropped her back to her car. It felt natural and for the first time in a long time. I didn't freak out." She looked between the two men. "That's good, right?"

"Of course," Paul replied with a smile. "It's very good. Cat seems to be good for you. But..." He glanced at Winn. "You're ok with everything, right? I mean, you don't feel pressured into anything?"

"Definitely not," Kara replied. "In fact, I was the one who wanted the lunch date yesterday. I didn't want to wait."

"Excellent." Paul stood up then. "And speaking of lunch... let's eat!"


	10. Chapter 10

Drowning Chapter Ten

It seems that Cat and Kara are drawn to each other…

* * *

Lunch was lasagna with garlic bread and salad, washed down with a good red wine and followed by Kara's favorite chocolate pecan pie. She stopped after two glasses though, knowing she'd be driving later, and decided to spend some time after the meal playing with Danny while Winn and Paul had some time to themselves. She was in the center of his bedroom, standing with her fists on her hips and a red blanket tucked into the neck of her t-shirt as a cape.

"I am Supergirl!" she boomed in her best superhero voice. "I am here to save you, Danny!" She grabbed him up and flew him around the room. "Fly with me!" The little boy was giggling so hard that she could barely hold onto him and when she set him down on the carpet, her hand was aching inside its brace. "Phew! Supergirl needs a break," she said as she sat down next to him and picked up one of his toy cars. "So, how's school?"

"Good," Danny replied, all the while making car engine noises.

"Do you like it?" Kara asked.

"I like it ok." More car noises.

"Do you have a lot of friends?"

"Some," Danny replied, somewhat uncomfortably and not making eye contact with her.

"Hey Danny?" Kara pressed. "Are the other kids nice to you?"

"Some of them say they don't like Dad and Daddy. That makes me sad."

Kara sighed internally. "Why do they say that?" Danny moved to sit in her lap but didn't answer and just kept playing with his cars. She hugged him and kissed his temple. "Do some kids say mean things about your Dad and Daddy?" Danny shrugged. "Have you told your Dads?" He shook his head and crashed one car into another, making screeching noises. "Would you like me to help you tell them?" The little boy thought about it for a second and then nodded. "Will we tell them now?"

They got up and Danny held her hand as they walked to the living room where Winn and Paul were snuggled on the couch, chatting. Kara crouched next to Danny and smiled at him. "Your Dad and Daddy want what's best for you and want you to be happy. You're not going to get into trouble when you tell them."

The men frowned at each other and sat forward on the couch. "What's wrong, Danny?" Paul asked worriedly. The little boy looked at them and then turned back to Kara.

"Can you tell them?" he asked plaintively.

"I think you need to do it, Bud," Kara replied. "You can tell your Dads anything. They love you and want you to tell them how you're feeling."

Danny nodded and sucked in a deep breath. He held it for a long time and Kara was beginning to worry about his possibly passing out when he finally blurted out what he wanted to say. "Thekidsatschoolsaymeanthingsaboutyouandsaytheydon'tlikeyoubecauseitsweirdtohavetwoDads."

"Good job, Buddy" Kara whispered, patting him on the butt. "Go sit with your Dads. They're going to need lots of hugs."

"C'mere, Dan," Winn said, beckoning to his son and the boy trotted to his Dads to sit between them on the couch.

Kara looked at her watch. It was almost five so she winked and picked up her bag. "I'm heading off, Guys. Thanks for lunch. It was amazing." Winn started to move but Kara held a hand up. "I can see myself out. Love you, Guys."

"Love you too," the men replied, smiling thankfully at her. She grinned and headed out the door.

Xx

Cat hated crossword puzzles. She'd decided that only five clues into the one she was currently doing but she decided to keep going, since she had just got home from her shopping trip and she didn't feel like watching television. "Bad tempered or some apples maybe," she murmured. "Six letters." The housekeeper passed by the door and Cat called out to her. "Martina?"

"Yes, Miss Grant?" The woman was a younger, attractive brunette with pretty, brown eyes. She was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater. "Can I get you some coffee or anything?"

"Coffee would be great actually," Cat replied. "And a couple of those chocolate chip cookies Carter has stashed away in the tall cabinet that he thinks I know nothing about." Martina chuckled. "But that's not why I wanted you. I have a guest coming for lunch tomorrow but she may also stay for dinner tomorrow night. Either way, I won't need you, so take the afternoon off when you're finished after lunch."

"Thanks, Miss Grant," Martina replied. "I'll call my mother and let her know I'm coming to visit. She'll be thrilled."

"Good," Cat replied. "Give her my best."

"Will do. I'll be back shortly with your coffee and secret cookies."

Cat grinned as Martina headed toward the kitchen and went back to her crossword. "Six letters. Bad tempered or apple. Oh! Crabby!" She wrote the letters carefully in and was about to move on to the next clue when her phone rang. It was Kara and she picked up immediately.

"Hi Darling."

 _Hey, Hon. Checking in. How was your day?_

"It was fairly relaxing," Cat replied, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. "I went shopping. Retail therapy always relaxes me."

 _Oh yeah? What did you buy?_

"It's Carter's birthday in a couple of weeks so I got him an iPhone X and a pair of AirPods."

 _Cool. He'll love the AirPods. I couldn't be without mine when I'm working out. What else?_

"I got him a couple of pairs of the jeans he likes in a longer length. He's really starting to shoot up. Oh, and a pair of some god-awful Nike somethings that he texted me about."

Kara laughed lightly and it made Cat smile. _Lucky kid._

"I try not to spoil him. I'm trying to raise a decent human being, not an entitled brat. But on his birthday, I like to get him what he wants. He normally asks for one thing and I have some mental notes about other things he's mentioned liking over the previous few months."

 _You're a great Mom, Cat. He's a very lucky kid. And… by the way… I can't wait to see you tomorrow._

"Me neither. You got the address, right?"

 _I did. What time should I be there?_

"Is one o'clock ok? I was thinking we could eat at about one-thirty?"

 _Sounds great. What can I bring?_

"Just bring yourself. That's more than enough. Oh… how did lunch go with Winn and Paul today?" Cat smiled at Martina as she left a mug of coffee and some cookies on the table next to her.

 _It was fun. I love hanging out with Danny. He's five and quick as a whip. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow._

"Where are you now?" Cat asked. "At home?"

 _Um… not exactly._

Cat chuckled. "How can you not be exactly at home? Where are you, Darling?"

 _I'm… well… I missed you so I'm… outside your house?_

"Is that a question or a statement?" Cat laughed. "Kara, my God. Why are you hovering outside?"

 _I can't stay… I promised a friend I'd go see a movie with her but I'd hoped to maybe just say hi to you in person._

"Hold on," Cat replied and she hung up the phone as she headed for the door. She stepped outside and saw Kara's car across the street from her front gates. Shaking her head amusedly, she trotted down the steps and down the path to slip through the small gate set into the large one and then crossed the street to where Kara was now standing beside her car with her hands stuck in the back pockets of her jeans.

The younger blonde smiled and Cat almost lost her step. Kara looked so sexy in the evening sunlight and, without saying a word, Cat grabbed her hips and pushed her up against the car, kissing her deeply.

Xx

Kara blinked and her face eased into a happy smile as she saw Cat coming through the small gate towards her. Her friend looked so beautiful in the evening sunlight and she was about to say so when she realized that Cat wasn't stopping. Then Kara was pressed against her own car and Cat kissed her deeply. Her body reacted unexpectedly and an almost growl sounded in her throat as her fingers tangled themselves into Cat's blonde hair and she pushed against her, trying to get closer.

Cat's hands wandered slowly up and down Kara's sides and, as the kiss slowed and they finally ended up smiling at each other with their foreheads pressed together, she wrapped her arms around the younger woman's slender waist, keeping her close. "I'm sorry… was that…" Cat began, breathlessly, but Kara shook her head.

"Don't apologize," she replied. "It's not like I haven't been thinking about doing that all day myself. God, you're so beautiful, Cat." They kissed again and finally Cat had to step away a little.

"Go," she said softly. "Or I won't be responsible for what happens next."

"Cat…" Kara whispered.

"Go," Cat said again, putting a little more distance between them. "I'll see you tomorrow. Enjoy your movie."

Kara nodded, a little smirk on her lips as she stepped forward and stole a final kiss. "Bye, Honey."

As Kara drove away, Cat walked back into the house and straight to her en suite to take a cool shower.


	11. Chapter 11

Drowning Chapter Eleven

A/N A revelation…

* * *

"Ugh…" Kara groaned as she flopped face down onto her bed. Her body was still tingling from the kisses she'd shared with Cat, the sensations driving her a little bit crazy… but in a pretty damn good way. Her phone dinged and she turned her head just enough to see the screen. It was a text from her friend, Jenna, confirming their meet-up at the movie theater later. Jenna was a new friend. They'd met in a coffee shop and gone on one fairly awkward date before deciding that they really weren't compatible, so the instructor had been surprised to get an invite from the woman to see a movie together.

Kara sent a quick text back confirming the time and place and then went into her bathroom to hop into the shower. Her hand was still aching from her time playing with Danny so she took some pain killers before stepping under the warm spray, eyes closed and thinking about Cat.

Cat.

Kara had never felt this way about someone before. It was as though every cell in her body was urging her to be at the woman's side. And when she was there, she was completely captivated. Hormones, her logical mind asserted. A body's internal chemical drive to find a strong mate and procreate. She snickered to herself. She and Cat wouldn't be doing any procreating together but hell, it'd be fun trying.

The thoughts staggered her so much that she had to press a hand against the tiled wall to keep her balance. Since that night four years prior, Kara hadn't thought of sex as anything but painful and harmful. Psychologically, she'd always withdrawn if she'd felt even an ounce of attraction towards someone but, with Cat, it was different. Was it the trust she had in the CEO that made her more open to pursuing a relationship? Was it just her body's internal clock? She was prime breeding age after all. The thoughts went around and around in her head until she finished showering and stepped into the cool bathroom air to look at her reflection in the mirror.

Kara always saw the scars first and she knew that would never change. The bite marks on her shoulder had heeled but were still visible, the circular bumps of cigarette burns in equidistant points above her breasts, the small slices from a switchblade that punctuated thin, light-colored lines in different areas across her stomach… Torture. Not just rape.

She looked down and then grabbed a bath towel to wrap around her body and a smaller towel for her hair. She tried to imagine how Cat would react to seeing her naked for the first time. Would the older woman be surprised? Repulsed?

No.

Deep inside, Kara knew that Cat would not be repulsed. She would be supportive and loving and…

Love. The idea hit Kara like a ton of bricks and she shook her head. No, it couldn't be love she felt for Cat, could it? She chuckled to herself. After only a few days of knowing someone? Nah, it was hormones.

Probably.

After drying off and styling her hair, Kara dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a blue and white checked shirt. Her most comfortable cowboy boots finished the outfit and she added a light touch of makeup. In the kitchen, she pulled a bottle of water from the back of the refrigerator and gulped half of it down. But her phone pulled her attention away and she kicked the fridge door closed as she fished the device out of her back pocket. "Winn, hey, everything ok?"

 _I think so. I was just calling to thank you for what you did earlier._

"No thanks necessary. I just asked questions. Danny came to the answers himself."

 _God knows how long this has been going on._ Winn's voice was trembling and Kara heard Paul consoling his husband quietly. _But at least we know now and can deal with it._

"That's right. Danny's a really great kid. The others will come around. They're just saying things they don't understand." Kara shook her head. "Or maybe things they've heard at home, which is what angers me the most."

 _Yeah, true. Well, I'll let you go, Kara. I just wanted to check in. Enjoy your thing with Jenna._

"Thanks, Winn. Seeya."

Kara checked the time. She had another thirty minutes before she had to leave so she dialed Cat, smiling as it was picked up after a couple of rings. "So… kissing you drives me crazy… in an awesome way."

Cat was stunned into silence and then burst out laughing. _I'm sorry I… what? Turned you on?_

Kara blew out a long breath. "You could say that, yeah."

Cat's grin was audible. _If it makes you feel any better, I felt the same way until I took a cold shower._

The younger blonde's voice softened. "It kinda does actually. I'm glad I'm not the only one. Cat, we've become close pretty quickly and if I'm not completely reading things wrong…" She swallowed. "At some point, we're going to…" She stopped talking as her mind derailed a little.

 _I want that with you, Kara._ Cat's tone was gentle. _But I'm not going to rush you, I promise. If anything further happens between us, it'll be at a pace that we're both comfortable with._

"Cat, it's been a long time since I've been able to think about sex in any other way then it being horrific." Kara dug down deep and tried to be as honest as she could. "I'm insecure about my scars and I don't know how I'm going to handle it."

 _Together_ Cat let the word sink in for a moment. _WE'RE going to handle it together, Darling._

"Ok," Kara whispered in reply. "Thank you."

 _No, thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with me. I know it's not easy to open up sometimes but if we keep talking and trust each other… we'll have something special._ Cat cleared her throat then. _So what movie are you going to see?_

"I'm not sure. I told Jenna she could pick whatever she wanted. I don't even know if we have the same taste in movies." The instructor shrugged to herself. "I met her in a coffee shop a few weeks ago and she asked me out during the conversation. We went on one date, which wasn't the best and agreed to just be friends. I thought I'd never hear from her again till I got a text last week asking me to go to a movie with her." There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Cat?"

 _I'm here. So… what if she wants to try dating again?_

"What do you mean?"

 _What if she's thinking this is a date?_ Kara was blindsided and wasn't sure what to say. _Never mind. It's ok. We didn't discuss anything about being exclusive so… enjoy your evening with her._

"Wait… Cat, I didn't think for one second that this was a date." Again, there was a moment of quiet. "Are you mad? Cos there's nothing to be mad about. She's just a friend."

 _No, I'm not mad, Darling._ Cat replied. _I just got a wakeup call about what I want but it's your choice, of course._

"Let me be clear," Kara said firmly. "I'm not seeing anyone but you, ok?"

 _Me neither. I'm sorry, Kara, I just got a little…_

"Jealous?" the younger blonde teased.

Cat's sigh echoed down the line. _Go on, don't be late meeting Jenna._

"We're ok?" Kara asked, wanting to be sure that Cat wasn't upset.

Cat's reply was warm. Of course we are. See you tomorrow at one. Bye Kara.

"Most definitely. Bye, Honey."

Xx

Kara shook her head as Jenna's hand, for the third time, tried to sneak onto her thigh behind their shared popcorn bucket. Once again, she blocked the move and sent the woman a sideways look. She really couldn't believe it. Cat had been right and apparently, Jenna wasn't getting the hint that she wasn't in the least bit interested. Finally, Kara shot up out of her seat and walked along the row to the stairs that led down to the exit and the hallway to the bathrooms. She quickly picked a stall in the ladies room, but as she was going in, a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders, eased her forward into the stall and reached under her arms to cup her breasts from behind.

"Great idea, Baby, finding us somewhere private," Jenna purred into Kara's ear.

The blonde was so shocked that before she realized what was happening, the dark woman's hand was already snaking down inside her jeans. The intimate touch sent Kara's brain into overload and she suddenly yelled and spun, pushing Jenna so hard in the chest that she lost her balance and fell out of the stall backwards onto the floor. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

From her prone position, Jenna held up her hands. "Fuck's sake, Kara. What the hell?"

"I did NOT invite you to touch me like that," the blonde replied angrily, her entire body trembling.

"You've been leading me on all night with your looks and come-ons!" Jenna picked herself up off the floor, shaking her head.

"Jenna, I have NOT been leading you on. I'm with someone now and sex with you is the LAST thing on my mind." She perched her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Jesus Christ, Cat was right. I should have listened to her."

"Cat?" Jenna spat. "Is that your new pussy? Is she going to be the next one who gets pushed out the door of a toilet stall? Or is she just another conquest to use and then move on."

"I love her!" Kara shouted, slamming her hand down on the vanity next to her. The words echoed around the tiled walls of the ladies room and then faded to nothing as she just stood there, trying to breathe.

The dark woman laughed. "Well God help her." And with that, she spun on her expensive heels and stalked out of the room.

Slowly, as her trembling subsided, Kara moved to the sink to splash some water on her face. Then leaning on her hands with water droplets dripping from her chin, she looked up into the mirror to see a new spark in the blue eyes staring back at her.

The words came softly and slowly and she tested them, tasting them for fear or doubt, letting them roll around in her mind.

"I love her."


	12. Chapter 12

Drowning Chapter Twelve

A/N: Lunch at Cat's!

* * *

After her conversation with Kara, Cat had opened a fresh bottle of her favorite scotch and poured herself two fingers. She settled down to read her book and, a few hours later, went to bed slightly tipsy but insanely looking forward to seeing Kara the next day.

Lying in bed, Cat thought about what had happened on the phone. Yes, she'd been jealous of that Jenna woman but she knew she'd feel much better after hearing about the evening from her… hmmm… since she and Kara had talked about not seeing other people, did that make the younger woman her girlfriend?

She rolled over onto her side and looked at her phone in it's charging cradle. It was almost midnight and she was tired so she turned on some light music and dozed off.

Xx

It was finally Sunday. Kara woke up to pain in her already injured hand that made her wish that she hadn't shoved Jenna so hard. Not that she hadn't deserved it and Kara felt no guilt whatsoever. She got out of bed and padded barefoot into the kitchen to make some coffee and toast with banana. It was almost nine so she decided to run on her treadmill for a while. She'd become so accustomed to working out at _Breathe_ , she hadn't used her home gym in a while. After finishing her coffee and getting into a tank top and shorts, she started her warm up and then her run proper, music blaring through her AirPods. An hour later, with sweat dripping from her chin, she started her cool down and walked until her heart rate had settled back down.

Grabbing a towel from the stock she kept in the room, Kara dried herself off and then began the free weight routine she knew so well that she barely needed to think about it. Her hand was still hurting though, so she paused mid-routine to take some pain killers. When she was finished, Kara threw her towel into a hamper and headed for the kitchen to drink down a _Horizon_ chocolate milk box to help her muscles repair themselves.

Kara looked at the clock. It was eleven thirty-five, so she dumped her wet workout clothes into the washing machine and went to take a shower. In the glass cubicle, she thought back over what had happened the night before. Her reaction to Jenna touching her had been maybe a little extreme, she reasoned, but she still wasn't sorry for shoving her. Jenna had seen signals that just weren't there and her arrogance had killed their friendship before it could even get started.

"Oh, well," Kara sighed as she rinsed her body. "Lesson learned. Make sure you always ask about intentions BEFORE agreeing to the meet-up, Kara."

Forty minutes later, Kara stood fully dressed and styled in front of her full-length mirror. She had chosen a navy pantsuit with ankle length pants and a pink-hued, white button up shirt underneath. A pair of heels gave the outfit a sexy finish and she nodded at herself, pleased with the look. Her phone dinged in her pocket and she chuckled as she read the text on the screen.

 _Is it almost one yet?_

She tapped out a quick response. _Leaving my apartment now, Honey. See you soon._

 _Text me when you get here and I'll open the gates for you to pull in._

Xx

Cat nodded happily when she saw Kara's response to her text and did one more check of everything. Martina had done a great job of getting the house ready but Cat had cooked the lunch herself and hoped that Kara would like the dish she'd prepared. At twelve, she'd taken a shower and chosen black fitted pants and a tuxedo style blouse to go with her favorite black heels. Now all she had to do was wait for Kara to arrive.

Cat didn't have to wait long and, when she got Kara's text, she went to the security panel to open the gate. She saw Kara pull in and park to the right of the garage so she went to open the front door. What she wasn't expecting was the large bouquet of roses that the younger woman presented to her when she did so.

"Oh Kara, they're beautiful," Cat smiled. "Thank you."

"Not as beautiful as you," the younger blonde replied as she stepped forward and cupped Cat's cheek, leaning in to kiss her gently. "I feel like I've been waiting years to see you."

Cat laughed softly. She set the roses down on the hallway table and took Kara's hand to pull her into the house. "You look gorgeous. Can I take your jacket?"

"Please." Kara shrugged out of it and passed it to Cat who hung it up in the hallway closet. "Wow, your home is beautiful, Cat."

"Let me show you around," the CEO replied, taking Kara's hand again and moving across the hallway into the large living room. An expensive, leather seating group with chaise longe faced a huge television that hung over a real, wood-burning fireplace. "This is the formal living room. Carter sometimes plays video games in here with his friends."

"I love the fireplace," Kara said with a happy smile. She could easily picture snuggling with Cat in front of the flames.

"And this way is the formal dining room. I've only used this twice in the eight years I've been living here." They stopped outside a room with a huge set of table and chairs that was connected to another room by a large swinging door. "Through there is the kitchen and family space. Carter and I spend most of our time in there." Cat led Kara through the swing door and into a space that was easily the size of Kara's whole apartment.

Straight ahead was the kitchen area with gorgeous cabinets and appliances. Martina was in there, standing at the island as she sorted Cat's roses into a vase and she smiled at the two women, as Cat briefly introduced her. The island was large too, with a double sink set into it. To the right was a red-bricked arch that opened into a large but informal living room with a smaller dining table. This room also had a leather suite, fireplace and a huge television and Kara suddenly decided she wanted this room for snuggling with Cat.

"Everything is so beautiful, Cat," the younger woman said. "Did you design this yourself?"

"I had some help from a real designer but essentially yes."

Kara took Cat's hand and led her to an oversized, leather armchair. She sat down and pulled the CEO into her lap. "I hope Martina doesn't mind but I really want to kiss you."

"Martina who?" Cat chuckled as she pressed herself closer to Kara and captured her lips. They kissed slowly and deeply and, as their breathing grew ragged, Kara couldn't help the moan that escaped her when Cat's fingertips caressed her neck and down onto her shoulder under her shirt. Then Cat's hand wandered to the area of Kara's scar. Then younger blonde broke the kiss and tensed up, her eyes wide. "Kara," Cat said softly as she eased her hand back. "What is it, Darling? Talk to me."

"It's um…" The younger woman tried to calm herself and made an effort to relax. "I have a scar there."

Cat nodded her understanding. "May I see?"

"It's ugly," Kara whispered, her blue eyes welling with tears.

Cat kissed her forehead. "There isn't a single thing about you that's ugly, Kara. Can you trust me when I say I mean that?"

Kara nodded, a couple of tears slipping down her cheeks. Cat kissed them away and then opened a button on Kara's shirt to slowly move it to one side and reveal the reddened area of skin that was clearly a scar from a deep bite wound. The younger woman's eyes were closed but they opened in surprise when she felt gentle lips caress the spot she hated so much. Cat kissed up her neck and then moved back down to the scar. Kara's heart thumped hard as arousal coursed through her, sending her fingers tangling into Cat's hair. "Cat…" she moaned. "Jesus..."

The older woman chuckled and eased back, caressing her friend's cheek and then pecking her nose. "Let's cool things down a bit, shall we?" She slid out of Kara's lap and moved toward the kitchen. "Let me get us something to drink. Wine or beer?"

"Wine please, white if you have it." Kara was feeling hot and she opened one more button on her shirt to let some cool air get to her skin.

Cat returned with two glasses and simply sat herself back in Kara's lap. "How did the movie with your friend go," she asked as she gave Kara hers.

"It was the worst experience ever," the instructor replied with a sigh. "You were right, Cat. She kept trying to feel me up during the movie and, after thwarting her numerous attempts, I got fed up and went to the bathroom."

Cat chuckled. "Poor, deluded Jenna."

Kara frowned. "That wasn't the worst part. She followed me into the bathroom and pushed me into the stall, all while shoving her hand down my pants."

The older woman froze, her eyes narrowing. "She touched you without your permission?"

"Yep," Kara replied. "So, I spun around and shoved her so hard that she ended up on her ass on the bathroom floor. She was really mad and said some pretty nasty things but I told her I was with someone now and that she'd just have to get over it. She tottered out of there on her Prada ripoffs and I hope I never have to see her again."

"Good," the CEO replied firmly. "But are you ok?"

"I hurt my hand a little but the pain killers are dealing with it."

"Ok, you'd tell me if there was something else, right?" Cat asked.

"Yeah, I'd tell you. I'm not going to lie, the experience was awful, but I just kept thinking about you and how what she was saying about me wasn't true."

On cue, Kara's stomach growled and Cat laughed. "Hmmm… your stomach is saying it's lunch o'clock." She stood up, pulled Kara out of the comfy chair and led her into the kitchen. The island had seating along one side and two places were set there. "I wanted to keep this informal. I hope that's ok."

"Of course," Kara smiled. "This is all so amazing, Cat."

The CEO pecked her friend's lips. "Have a seat. We're having Caesar salad and Shepherd's Pie, made with my grandmother's secret recipe."

"Grandmother's eh? Your mother doesn't use it?"

"I have no idea," Cat replied. "My mother and I don't really speak much on account of her being a bitch. She calls every now and again to speak to Carter and sends him gifts for the special occasions but that's about it. And no, I don't miss her. She makes my life hell when she's around."

"Why?" Kara asked, head tilted and eyebrows drawn together.

"Two reasons that I'm aware of," Cat stated. "Number one, she can't fathom that I'm a strong woman who was married twice and divorced twice with two children fathered by two different men who were not my husbands. And then I dropped the bisexual bombshell on her by dating women, which sent her away on her broomstick screaming bloody murder. I suppose you could say she doesn't approve of my lifestyle."

Kara snickered softly. "Oh boy."

"And number two," Cat continued as she pulled the pie out of the oven with a thick mitt. "She can't stand that I'm richer and more successful than she will EVER be, so she delights in continually putting me down despite everything I've achieved. With the exception of Adam and Carter."

Kara shook her head. "She sounds like she's unhappy in her own life. I'm sorry, Cat."

"No," the older woman replied. "I'M sorry. Here I am complaining about my mother and you lost yours. You'd probably give anything to have her back."

"She was taken too young, that's the truth," Kara replied. "I sometimes wonder if I'd be different now if she was still alive."

"Is Alex like her?" Cat served two bowls of salad and two plates of pie, handing them to Kara before rounding the island and taking a seat next to her.

Kara tasted some of the pie, her eyes lighting up at the explosion of flavor in her tastebuds. The lamb was so tender, it was melting in her mouth. "Wow, Cat, this is so good. Thank you for cooking for me. And yes, Alex is very like her. They're both scientists but Alex is an M.D. rather than a PhD. They fought a lot, mostly because they were so alike but also because she tasked Alex with always taking care of me. When we were younger, I think Alex resented having to drag me everywhere with her when she was trying to just hang with her friends."

"Sounds like Alex has always been a great sister."

"She has. Even when she went to medical school, she called me all the time to make sure I was ok. I was competing a lot back then and she tried so hard to make it to the big races. She's pretty amazing. Do you have any siblings, Cat?"

"No. I'm not even sure my mother wanted any children at all, but my Dad did... but... anyway..."

"I'm sorry, Honey."

"Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children and I think about that a lot when Carter's not here. Adam is an adult and can take care of himself but Carter is still very young. I worry about him."

Kara smiled. "That's completely natural."

They ate in companionable silence for a few moments. Then Kara leaned over and kissed Cat's shoulder. "You're a wonderful cook."

The older woman laughed. "Don't be too impressed. I don't cook that often. I'm normally so busy that Martina just takes care of it."

After another few moments, Kara leaned over and bumped Cat's shoulder. "Can I ask you some stuff?" she said.

"Of course, ask me anything." Cat swiveled a little in her seat, her curiosity piqued.

"Now that we've agreed to not see other people, what can I call you? Are you my girlfriend? Or do you prefer something else?"

"I was wondering that myself," the CEO smiled. "Girlfriend is fine with me."

"Ok, cool. Then about Carter. He's going to be home soon, isn't he? Does he know that you date women?"

Cat nodded. "Like every other teenager in the world he doesn't want to hear anything about his mother's love life," she said dryly. "But yes, he knows I date women. I tried to raise him to be open to different kinds of relationships. You'll meet him soon but for now, let's just concentrate on building our relationship."

"Agreed. I'll admit to being a bit nervous about meeting him. What if he doesn't like me?"

Cat put her arm around Kara and kissed her forehead. "He'll love you as much as I do."

Their eyes met for a long moment and Kara swallowed. "And Alex will love you as much as I do," she replied.

"Good, that's settled then," Cat replied, a little breathlessly.

It wasn't the terrifying three words. They weren't ready for those yet. But the sentiment of growing affection was there and that was enough for them both for now.

"So what about CatCo? " Kara asked. "Has the building been cleared for people to go back to work tomorrow?"

Cat shrugged. "I don't know yet. I have air quality experts coming in to do an evaluation at four tomorrow morning. Once they've given their verdict, I'll have my assistant, Kiera, update the emergency message system with the relevant message and I'll communicate the findings to the other tenants." She sighed then. "I hope it's cleared. My reporters are working from home but some things just can't be managed outside the office. We're going to have a hard time making the magazine deadline this month if it goes later than tomorrow."

Kara finished her last bite of pie. "You'll make it, Cat. I have faith in you and your team."

"I hope so," the CEO replied. "Or we'll be up shit creek without a paddle."


	13. Chapter 13

Drowning Chapter Thirteen

A/N: A fabulous date… and maybe a bit of scandal?

* * *

"That meal was really good, Cat. Thanks again for cooking for me." Kara finished the last of her wine and smiled as Cat poured her another glass.

"You're welcome, Darling," the CEO replied. "So my turn to ask questions. You grew up in Midvale, you said?"

"Right," Kara nodded. "Alex and I both lived there until we were older. Mom left the house to us so we just lived there together until Alex left to go to Harvard." She sighed. "I remember when she left. I was devastated. Massachusetts was so far away but she travelled a lot for me. Whenever she could truly. And I know it was hard for her. She's so smart and hardworking and I was so proud of her when she walked across that stage at her graduation, top of her class. We sold the house in Midvale a few years ago."

"Impressive. What does she do now?" Cat asked.

"She's the youngest Head of Oncology ever at National City General, but she still found time to sit in the front row when I graduated last year."

"Oh really? I didn't think you would have had time to go to college," the older woman replied.

"After the last Olympics, I knew I didn't want to compete again so I enrolled in National City University and threw myself into my studies in addition to working with Winn to build _Breathe_. I have a degree in Sports and Fitness Administration. It certainly helps with running the business."

"That explains it," Cat murmured to herself.

"Explains what?" Kara asked curiously.

"Oh… um… well, when we first met, I was intrigued and… I think I told you already that I googled you?"

Kara nodded. "Yeah, you told me."

"Well," Cat went on. "I was surprised to find that there was very little coverage of you out there. I found one photo of you at a charity thing but very little else."

The blonde sighed. "That was kinda intentional," she admitted. "I really tried to keep out of the media and finally it just went away when the next athlete came along." She chuckled. "At this point, I'd probably be more interesting to the press by being your girlfriend."

Cat sat back in her chair and nodded thoughtfully. "And how do you feel about that, Kara? Being seen in public with me, I mean?"

"I… I guess I hadn't really thought about it," the instructor replied.

Cat smiled. "You don't have to answer right now. Take some time to think about it." She slid down off her chair and walked around the island to the large refrigerator. "I have red velvet cake for dessert. Would you like some coffee?"

"Please,"Kara replied. She watched as Cat efficiently sliced the cake and brewed the beverages. "Maybe we could take dessert to the couch?" she suggested.

Their eyes met and Cat's heart picked up as her mind went to a totally different definition of dessert. A small smile touched her lips and she leaned over to steal a brief kiss. "I think that can be arranged. Maybe we could watch a movie?" Honestly, that was the last thing she wanted to do, but she desperately needed to get her thoughts away from dragging Kara to her bedroom.

"Sure," the younger blonde grinned. "What do you have in mind?"

"Bambi," Cat muttered as she poured the coffee.

"I'm sorry?" Kara leaned closer to hear better.

"I said anything. You pick. Carter has quite a collection of movies on the shelf in there. Or we can rent something from iTunes if you don't find anything that grabs you." She set two slices of cake and the coffee cups onto a tray and Kara picked it up to carry it for her.

"Cat, can I help with the dishes before we start the movie?" she suddenly asked.

The older woman waved a hand. "Martina will take care of it later. She's gone to visit her mother for the rest of the day."

"Nice," Kara laughed. "I wish I had a housekeeper. I hate housework." She led them through the arch into the living room and set the tray down on the coffee table. Cat set out some coasters and moved the cups to them as Kara browsed the movies on the shelves. "Oh! I've never seen this one." She turned, holding up one of Cat's favorite movies.

"You've never seen Avatar? Really?" the older woman asked, surprised.

"I kept meaning to but I never got around to it. Is it good?"

Cat smiled and took the Blu-ray from Kara's hand. "Yes, I think you're going to like it. It's almost three hours long but it's so worth it. I mean…" She stopped a little uncertainly, disc mid-way to the player's slot.. "That's if you don't have to leave?"

Kara grin toothily. "I'm all yours," she stated.

"Great. Take a seat, Darling." Cat pressed the disc into the player and grabbed the remote to turn on the TV and set the right input. This disc's menu appeared on the screen and Cat pressed the enter button to start the movie. Then she moved back to the couch. Kara had taken a seat on one end and was relaxed with her back set into the corner a little but she smiled and opened her arms, waiting for Cat to sit down and relax against her.

"Mmmm… you're so warm," the older woman said as Kara's arms closed around her.

"So I've been told" Kara chuckled. "I seem to have always run a little on the warm side. I'd swim in the ocean all year round and just wear a shorty wetsuit in the winter while Alex was in full body neoprene to surf."

"Badass." Cat laughed and snuggled against Kara, laying her head against the younger woman's chest and wrapping her arm around her slender waist. The movie began and Kara was hooked. Cat watched as she rode the emotional rollercoaster that was Avatar and, at one part, when tears tracked down her cheek, Cat reached up and wiped them away.

"My God," Kara whispered. "I can't believe what just happened. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have your home destroyed and completely taken from you. To have to go somewhere you don't know and start over."

Cat slipped her hand under Kara's shirt and gently rubbed her stomach. The younger woman's abs tensed for a moment but then she blew out a long breath and made a visible effort to relax. "Are you ok?" the CEO asked.

"Yes, sorry." Kara let her hand rest on top of Cat's and closed her eyes feeling the movement on her stomach and under her fingertips. She'd almost forgotten how good it felt to be touched that way. "That feels nice," she whispered.

"Mmmm…" Cat agreed as Kara's fingers moved through her hair. She was enjoying the closeness they were sharing and when the movie ended, neither of them made any attempt to move.

"That was awesome," Kara commented enthusiastically. "I can't believe it took me this long to finally see it."

"I guess you were meant to watch it with me," Cat replied, lazily trailing her fingertip over the younger woman's soft skin.

"Most definitely trumps watching it alone," the instructor agreed. She slowly lifted Cat's chin and looked into her eyes. "Thank you for today. I've had a wonderful time." She leaned down and captured Cat's lips, her tongue slowly caressing their softness. As the kiss deepened, Cat's hand wandered a little more under Kara's shirt. "Cat," the younger woman whispered against her lips. "I… need to show you something. C… can I?"

"Of course," Cat replied gently. "What is it, Darling?"

Kara took a deep breath and began to unbutton her shirt. "I want you to see the damage."

"Damage? What do you mean, Kara?"

As the last button opened under the instructor's shaking fingers and restrictive brace, she looked at Cat. "This is what they did to me." She closed her eyes and pulled the edges of her shirt apart, baring her bra-clad torso to her girlfriend. She nothing and just waited.

Cat's eyes moved slowly over the scars so clearly visible on the younger woman's skin. She took in the burn scars, the bite scars and several scars she assumed were from a knife and shook her head, feeling suddenly sick as the full impact of her girlfriend's ordeal finally became clear to her.

But, she knew that outrage was not what Kara needed so she gently cupped her girlfriend's chin. "Look at me, Kara." The fearful blue eyes opened and tears welled in them as Cat held the younger woman's face between her hands. "You are the strongest and most beautiful woman I've ever met. These scars don't define you. The fact that you got back up and tried to move on with your life after a horrific ordeal, built a successful business, earned a degree…" She smiled. "Opened yourself up to me… THAT'S who you are, Kara Danvers. You are brave and ASTONISHING."

Kara's face crumped into tears and Cat held her close as she sobbed in relief and, when she had cried herself out, they just snuggled together until Kara finally dozed off.

Xx

The text tone of Kara's phone pulled her out of sleep and she couldn't believe that it was already dark outside. Cat was sleeping against her and she moved slowly and gently, trying not to disturb her as she pulled the device out of her pocket. It was Alex, checking in and letting her know that she'd be home sooner than she thought due to a patient of hers not doing so well. Kara texted back, telling Alex to send her the flight details so she could pick her up at the airport.

"Everything ok?" Cat asked sleepily. She glanced up at the clock on the mantel. "Wow, it's after eight."

"Yeah, everything's fine. Alex was just letting me know that she's coming home early."

"I bet having your sister back will make you happy," Cat smiled. "Speaking of being happy, I'm hungry. Feel like some Chinese takeout?"

"As long as there's pot stickers," Kara replied seriously. "Count me in."

"Why don't you pick another movie then while I get the menu." Cat disappeared into the kitchen and came back with the paper printout, along with a couple of bottles of water, one of which she handed to her girlfriend. "Hydrate please."

"Yes, Ma'am," Kara replied teasingly but, truthfully, she needed it. It refreshed her as she swallowed back half of it and then sighed. Then she realized Cat was looking at her almost naked torso and she felt a little self-conscious. "Sorry," she said quietly as she began to close the buttons but Cat's hands stopped her.

"Kara, I wasn't looking at the scars. I was looking at you." She sighed and shook her head. "Lusting after you, actually," she said honestly. "I'm insanely attracted to you." She chuckled then. "So actually, maybe closing your shirt is a good idea or else…" She waggled her eyebrows, making Kara blush a deep pink and laugh heartily.

The younger blonde sobered then as she touched the edge of Cat's blouse between her breasts and let the back of her fingers barely graze the skin . "Soon…" she said seductively. "I promise." She grinned then and finished closing the buttons of her shirt.. "You said something about pot stickers?"

Cat rolled her eyes and then smiled affectionately. "Yes, I did. What else would you like?"

They chose dinner and Cat phoned in the order, all the while chatting with Kara as she went through more of Carter's Blu-Ray collection. The instructor picked another movie and they snuggled up again to start watching.

As she looked at her girlfriend, Kara felt a warmth in her chest that had been absent for a long time. It was as though a gaping hole inside her had suddenly been filled to the brim and it felt insanely good. Everything about Cat felt insanely good, in fact.

And now Alex was coming home early. She'd get to hug her and tell her about Cat and show her sister that she had finally found someone who made her happy. She wanted Alex to let her guilt go. Nothing that had happened was Alex's fault but she knew that her sister wouldn't forgive herself until Kara was truly happy.

It didn't take long for the food to be delivered and they shared the pot stickers while laughing together at Mila Kunis as she stole her ex-husband's pride and joy of a car in Bad Moms. When the movie ended, Kara sat up and stretched. "Wow, I really need to pee. Can I use your bathroom please?"

"Sure," Cat replied, sitting up too. "Go through into the kitchen. At the far end, there's a door that leads to a short corridor. There's a bathroom there."

"Thanks." Kara replied and headed off to find her way. Cat looked at her phone and saw a text message from Carter so she texted him a goodnight, filling the text box with three lines of kissing emojis that she knew would make her son roll his eyes, just like she did.

Kara wandered back into the living room then. "I should get going," she said regretfully.

Cat was disappointed but she understood. Besides, she had a 5am call with the air quality specialists who'd be running the tests at CatCo. "Ok, Darling." She walked Kara to the door, helping her on with her jacket and then flipping the porch light on as she opened the door. "Be careful, ok? Text me when you get home safely please?"

"I will," the younger blonde agreed. "Thank you so much for today. I had so much fun and I feel lighter. You helped me, Honey." She stepped out into the open porch and then leaned back in to kiss her girlfriend, caressing her cheeks as she did so. "Goodnight, Cat."

"Goodnight, Darling." Kara moved back a little but Cat grabbed the front of her jacket and pulled her back in for one last kiss. Then she let the instructor go. "Bye."

Kara's eyes were twinkling. "Bye."

Cat watched until Kara made it to her car and then closed the door and headed to the security panel to open the gates. When her girlfriend has pulled out, she closed the gates and set the alarm. She wasn't sure if Martina had come back yet but the housekeeper knew the alarm code so Cat shut off the lights and headed to bed.

Xx

Kara's phone was ringing. She swatted at it and heard it bounce onto the carpet as she knocked it off her nightstand. "Shit." She picked up the annoying device and looked at the screen. It was Alex. Why was Alex calling her at… eight in the morning?

"Hey, Alex, everything ok?"

"Um… that depends," her sister replied, snickering softly.

"What? Why?"

"Well, I was skimming through the National City Gazette this morning… and before you say it, I know it's a rag, but they run outrageous stories… anyway. I'm skimming through the Gazette and guess what or I should really say who, I see on the front page?"

Kara played along. "I dunno, Alex. Who did you see?"

"Cat Grant."

The blonde sat forward. "Cat was on the front page of the Gazette?"

"Yes, oh but there's more…"

"Alex, seriously!"

"Ok, ok," Alex laughed. "It just so happens that Cat had a hold of the lapels of a jacket worn by a gorgeous blonde as she kissed her face off."

Kara blanched. "Oh my God."

Alex just laughed harder.

"Alex, this is not funny!" The blonde got out of bed and began pacing. "Shit shit shit. This is… I don't know what to say, Alex. I don't know if Cat's ready to go public about us yet. Hell, I'm not sure if I'M ready." She rubbed her forehead feeling the beginning of a stress headache. Then her phone beeped to indicate that she had another incoming call and she looked at the screen. "Alex, can I call you back? Cat's calling me."

"Sure, I want to hear all about what she says!"

Kara ended the call and switched to Cat's. "Morning, Honey. Um… have you seen the Gazette?"

Cat chuckled. "I heard," she replied. "We should talk."


	14. Chapter 14

Drowning Chapter Fourteen

A/N: Firstly, I want to say that I'm so thankful for the number of positive feedback messages and comments I've received for this story. I've always said that I write for my love of it, but receiving love from you all really keeps me going sometimes.

Secondly, I'd like to say a big thanks to Ro Karen for pointing out a GLARING mistake in Chapter 12. Cat's father was NOT a great man, as we know from Chapter 4. Sorry about that. Sometimes it's hard to remember what I've written in other chapters, especially since I mostly write late at night AND I'm getting old! I've edited Chapter 12 slightly to cover my mistake and we shall never speak of it again! 😉

Thirdly, can anyone guess how I made up Cat's gate code?

* * *

"This is really bad, right? I mean, we never really talked about being seen in public together and here we are, kissing pictures splashed all over the front of the Gazette." The pacing was getting worse. Kara was practically wearing track marks in her wooden floor now and her brace-covered hand was slicing through the air in front of her. "I mean what if this hurts your career or position at CatCo? What if your friends judge you for my not being powerful or rich and stuff?" She took a breath and Cat grabbed her opportunity to speak.

 _Kara?_

Kara's mouth closed suddenly, teeth clicking together. Then she took a breath."Um… yeah?"

 _Let me ask you some things._

"Ok…"

 _Are you not ok with being out in public with me?_

Kara shook her head. Even though Cat couldn't see her. "Of course not. I'm more than happy to be seen with you."

 _Are you uncomfortable with public displays of affection like my holding your hand or appropriately kissing you?_

"Well, no…"

 _Do you want to hide our relationship? Or keep it a secret?_

"No, of course not."

Cat's smile sounded in her voice. _Then no, Darling. This is not the disaster you worry it to be. To answer your questions, I couldn't give a rat's ass about anyone's opinion of me, except my children's and yours. And if my friends judge me for being happy with you, then they're hardly friends, are they? And lastly, I own CatCo. I make the rules and my private life is not open for speculation._

There was silence for a moment as Kara thought about all that. "Ok," she finally said, sitting down on her bed and taking some calming breaths. "You're right. I'm sorry. I just… I've been trying to lay low for so long that I just freaked out for a minute."

 _Don't apologize. Your feelings are more than valid. I'm looking at it now and it's actually not a bad picture. It was obviously taken with a zoom lens and I think it was a case of the photographer just getting lucky._

"So, everything is ok?" Kara asked, still a little unsure.

 _Yes, everything is great. I got good news this morning. CatCo Plaza was cleared for re-opening. The smell is lingering slightly but the air quality is within acceptable standards._

"That's really great," Kara grinned. "So what have you planned for today?"

 _Well, I was wondering if you'd give me a swimming lesson? Nothing strenuous but just spending some time in my pool with me._

"You have a pool?" Kara was surprised because Cat hadn't mentioned that before. "Why were you going to Breathe if you have a pool of your own?"

 _I didn't have an instructor of my own._ Cat chuckled a little.

"True. Honestly, I'm dying to get back in the water. What time should I be there?"

 _Whenever you want. The gate code is 3120 and I'll be here all day._

"Awesome. I'll bring breakfast," Kara replied. "See you soon."

Xx

Winn was swiveling side to side in his chair and chewing absently on the end of his pen. Like a lot of other citizens of National City, he'd looked at the Gazette website over breakfast to see what fantastical story they'd spun, however, the front page story today wasn't lies.

Karen, _Breathe's_ receptionist knocked on his door and stuck her head in. "Boss, there's a guy up front looking for Kara. Says it's important. He won't take no for an answer."

"Ok." The manager got up and followed her up the corridor to where a tall, casually-dressed man was pacing. "I'm Winn Schott, the general manager here. You're looking for Miss Danvers?"

"Yes," the man replied, his voice deep and resonant. "It's personal business."

"I understand," Winn nodded. "However, Miss Danvers is not here today. Can I give her a message? Or I can give you her desk phone number and you can leave her a voicemail?"

"I need to see her in person," the man said snippily. "Where is she?"

Winn paused and then crossed his arms. "Miss Danvers is not here. I'm not at liberty to provide staff members' personal information to anyone without their permission." He tilted his head as he sized the man up. "And even if I was, I wouldn't. Have a nice day." He turned to go back to his office but the man grabbed his shoulder to stop him. Winn turned, grabbed the man's arm in return and then twisted it behind his back in a tight hold. "It seems you're not aware that I have two Olympic gold medals in Judo. Touching me without my permission is generally not a good idea. In fact I probably know about a hundred ways to make you cry like a little baby, Dude. Now, are you going to leave like a civilized gentleman or are we going to have to call the police?" He looked at Karen, who lifted up the phone handset and waited.

The man held up his other hand in surrender. "I'll leave."

The manager released the hold and let him go, watching as he straightened his shirt and strolled out of the building, all the way shooting dagger looks.

"I wonder what that was all about," Karen said, frowning.

"I have no idea, but I'd better send Kara a text to give her a heads up," Winn replied, heading quickly back to his office.

Xx

Kara stopped off at her favorite bakery to get some bagels and cream cheese on the way to Cat's. She was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, under which she was wearing a sleek black bathing suit. She'd also packed a change of clothes for when they were done in the pool.

The instructor paused when she reached the gates to Cat's home and punched in the code, waiting patiently for them to open for her. Moments later, she was parked and ringing the doorbell. She grinned as Martina opened the door and stepped aside with a welcoming smile. "Come in, Miss Danvers."

"Oh Kara's fine," the blonde chuckled. "Cat's expecting me."

"That she is," the housekeeper nodded. "She's already out back by the pool. Let me show you the way."

"Thanks," Kara replied, stepping into the hall and waiting as Martina closed the door.

"I'll bring some drinks. I have some fresh lemonade I made this morning."

"That would be wonderful, thanks," Kara agreed. "I brought some bagels. I thought you might like one too so I brought six."

"Very kind of you, Kara." The housekeeper took the paper bag and led her through the family area to a set of French doors that opened up onto a patio area. From there, Kara could see the pool and her girlfriend lying on a sun lounger. "I'll get drinks and a plate for the bagels and bring them out to you… in a few minutes," Martina said with a knowing smile.

"Awesome." Kara nodded and headed across the landscaped back yard to where Cat was relaxing. When she reached the lounger, she grinned at Cat and lowered herself to crawl up into the older woman's open arms and relax against her. "Hi, Beautiful," she said as they shared a gentle kiss.

Cat hugged her close, running her fingers through Kara's long blonde hair. "Hi. Are you feeling a little better now?"

"A lot better." Kara chuckled then and shook her head a little. "I had this nightmare thought earlier that I'd step outside my building and be completely accosted by paparazzi."

Cat laughed. "A little bit of over-imagination, Darling. You can't even tell it's you in the picture."

"That's what Alex said when I spoke to her after I spoke to you. She'd seen the picture too." Kara sighed. "She was a lot more teasing than sympathetic though." Just then her phone rang and she fished it out of her pocket to answer it. "Sorry, Honey. Hello?"

Cat just kissed Kara's temple and stroked her arm as the younger woman listened and then stiffened. "What's wrong?" she whispered.

"Ok, thanks. I appreciate the call and the discretion. Bye, Tom." Kara relaxed again. "Huh, that's weird." She saw a text from Winn and opened it. It was from earlier that morning. And she frowned as she read it.

"Kara, what is it?" the CEO asked worriedly.

"Well, the call was from the security guy at my building, saying that some guy had come in looking for me but Tom wouldn't let him into the elevator when the guy wouldn't answer his questions. And then the text was from Winn saying that a guy had been looking for me at Breathe this morning too and got handsy with him." Kara frowned. "Does it strike you that this might be the same guy in both places?"

"Yes, it most certainly does," Cat agreed. "Is Winn ok?"

"I'm pretty sure he's ok. Winn can take care of himself. Judo is his sport. Two golds. He's also proficient in Taekwando."

"Oh…" Cat shook her head. "How did the guys take him down four years ago?"

Kara shrugged. "He was drunk. They took him by surprise and there were four of them against one of him."

"Bastards," Cat muttered and Kara hugged her hard. Then she texted Winn back.

"You know what?" the younger blonde said. "Let's forget about all this bullshit and have fun in the pool." She stood up and stripped out of her clothes, fixed her bathing suit and then tucked her hair up into a bun. "Six feet deep?"she asked as she slipped her brace off her arm.

"Yes," Cat replied. "But I tend to stay on the shallow end."

"You got it. Meet you there." Kara trotted to the deeper end of the pool and dove in, quickly swimming four or five lengths before Cat had even made it to her end. Then she rolled onto her back and just floated, enjoying the water and the fact that her hand wasn't hurting.

Kara met Cat then in the shallow end and they went over a refresher of the things Cat had learned in the first two lessons and within the following thirty minutes, Cat was swimming the breast stroke with Kara's hand hovering under her chest in case she needed help. "Excellent job, Cat!" Kara praised as her girlfriend completed two entire lengths of the pool. She noticed then that Martina had left a tray with two glasses of ice, a pitcher of lemonade and the bagels and cream cheese on the poolside table. Her stomach rumbled on queue, making Cat laugh.

"I guess it's time to eat."

"Yeah," Kara replied enthusiastically. "I'm starved."

They got out of the pool and toweled off before taking seats at the table. Kara was half-way through a bagel and a college story when Martina stopped next to the table with a wireless handset in her hand. "Excuse me. Call for you, Miss Grant."

"Thanks, Martina." Cat took the phone. "This is Cat." She listened for a moment and then smirked and relaxed back in her seat, crossing her legs. "Actually yes, I do have a comment." She listened again and nodded. "Yes, you may quote me. This is my statement." She cleared her throat a little and quickly turned on the voice recorder on her iPhone to ensure she wasn't misquoted. "Begin quote. My privacy was invaded while I was on my own property by a cowardly photographer with a zoom lens and the picture used on the front page of the National City Gazette without my permission. However, I have nothing to hide and like a lot of other humans, I'm happy in my relationship. End quote." She listened again. "No, I do not wish to reveal the identity of the woman I'm dating. That will be her decision if and when the time comes. Goodbye." She hung up the phone and tossed it on the table.

"How does it feel to be on the other side of the questions?" Kara asked with a crooked grin.

"Oh, I've been here many times," Cat replied with a wave of her hand. "Two marriages and two divorces, remember?" She shrugged. "The best thing we can do is just go about our lives and just ignore the media."

The younger blonde nodded and shrugged. "I trust you, Cat."


	15. Chapter 15

Drowning Chapter Fifteen

Moving forward… and standing still?

A/N: Any legal stuff in here… I made it up! I'm also super-tired so this part is a little shorter than normal.

* * *

After breakfast, Kara and Cat ended up back in the pool for the last part of Cat's lesson, which included treading water in the deep end. The breast stroke was feeling natural to the older woman now and she didn't need any help as she swam up and down the pool with Kara lazily moving next to her.

Cat chuckled as Kara dove and swam under her, poking her playfully in the stomach as she went past. Then the instructor surfaced in front of her and drew her girlfriend into her arms. Cat's arms went around her neck and they pressed against each other as they kissed, tasting the tangy chlorine on each other's lips.

"Mmmm… I could get used to this," Kara murmured as she nibbled Cat's earlobe. "My three favorite things all in one place. Swimming, teaching and you."

Cat laughed softly and sighed as her girlfriend's lips moved to her neck. Then her eyes fluttered closed as Kara dragged her nails gently down her back. "Darling," she whispered. "I have to be honest with you. You're really turning me on right now."

"Do you want me to stop?" Kara asked softly, drawing back a little and meeting Cat's eyes.

The older woman shook her head. "That's exactly the problem," she replied with a smile. "I don't want you to stop but I want to make sure that you're comfortable with… everything."

"I want to kiss you," Kara replied seriously. "And all I can think about right now is having your body under my hands."

"Is it ok if I touch you too?" Cat asked, just as seriously. Kara hesitated and then took a breath and nodded. "We'll take this as slowly as we need to. Just tell me if you want me to stop."

They kissed again and this time, Cat let her hands explore. She trailed her fingertips down Kara's neck and smoothed her palms across her girlfriend's muscular shoulders. Kara skin was soft and Cat really enjoyed the sensation as her palms glided down strong arms and settled on Kara's hips, drawing her closer. Then in a bold move, she let her hands run up the younger woman's sides and forward to cup her breasts.

Kara broke their kiss and gasped, her eyes wide as she instinctually took a step back. "I'm sorry, too fast," Cat said softly. "Forgive me, Kara."

But the instructor held up a hand. "No." Cat blinked in surprise and Kara smiled. "What I mean is, you did nothing wrong. It just surprised me."

"Kara, we don't have to…"

But even as Cat was saying the words, Kara stepped close again, took Cat's hands and slowly moved them back to her chest. Then she wrapped her arms around the older woman's neck and pressed fully against her again, reveling in the sensations moving through her body.

But then a clearing-of-throat broke the spell between them and they realized Martina was standing at the edge of the pool looking everywhere except at the two of them. They eased apart and Kara took a minute to center herself as Cat waded closer to her housekeeper. "I'm so sorry, Miss Grant."

"It's ok. What is it, Martina?" Cat replied.

"Carter's on the phone. He was trying to call your cell and when you didn't answer, he called the house phone." She picked up the extension handset from the table and passed it to Cat.

"Thank you," her boss replied as she turned the handset on and put it to her ear. "Hi, Sweetheart. Sorry I missed your calls. I'm in the pool." She listened for a moment and then sighed. "Oh, I see. I was going to talk to you about that when you got home." She looked over at Kara and made a 'busted' face. "Yes, it's true. I'm seeing someone. We had dinner and watched a movie here and the photographer caught her leaving completely by chance." Cat chuckled then and glanced at Kara who was waiting worriedly. "Yes, but the photo doesn't do her justice. She's much more beautiful in person." Her smiled widened as Kara blushed and waded to the edge of the pool, pressing her body up and out onto the paving, and toweling off.

Martina had come back with fresh glasses of ice for the lemonade and caught the tail end of Cat's words. She offered Kara a smile. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," the instructor replied. "I guess the cat is out of the bag, no pun intended."

"I guess so. Don't worry about Carter. He's a wonderful, loving boy and he just wants his mom to be happy." She paused then and glanced at Cat who was still chatting with her son. "You know… I've been working for Miss Grant for almost six years now and I don't think I've ever seen her this happy. You're good for her."

"Thank you, Martina," Kara replied, a lump forming in her throat. "She's good for me too." She accepted a glass of lemonade and drank back a few swallows as Cat got out of the pool and joined them at the table.

"Carter said to say hello to you both. He told me that his father is being pulled away for a business meeting so he needs to come home a couple of days early." She picked up her iPhone and opened a text message to her assistant. "I need to ask Kiera to change the date for the jet to pick him up. He's coming home the day after tomorrow."

"Nice," Kara replied. "I bet you'll be glad to have him back."

"Definitely." Cat wrapped a towel around her body and took a seat, helping herself to more lemonade. "Join us, Martina?" she asked.

"Thanks, Miss Grant, but I have to go shopping for some groceries and think about dinner. "Will you be staying, Kara?"

"Actually," Kara replied. "I was thinking that Cat and I could have dinner at my apartment tonight. What do you think, Honey?"

"Sure," Cat amiably agreed. "Oh, Martina, before I forget, would you change the linens in Carter's room please?"

"Already done," the housekeeper replied. "I also made sure that his laundry is finished and started making a basic plan for his birthday. I'd like us to get together tomorrow at some point and go through it to fine tune the stuff you want for him."

"What would I do without you?" Cat chuckled.

"Live in misery," Martina sassed. "Alright, Ladies. Enjoy the rest of your day. I've got some stuff to finish up and then I might go see Avengers."

"Have fun!" Kara called as the housekeeper headed inside. She stood then, stretched and walked backwards into the pool. When she surfaced, she crooked a finger at her girlfriend. "Where were we?"

Cat smiled widely and followed her.

Xx

It was late afternoon when Kara pulled up outside her apartment building. "This is a nice neighborhood," Cat commented as she opened the door and slid out of the car.

"Yeah, I like it," Kara agreed, hopping out on her side. "Most of the people who live in this building seem to be young, professional couples or single people. I rarely see any kids around."

Kara locked the car as they walked along the path to the building's entrance but as they reached the door, a tall man, who had been sitting on a low wall, stood and approached them. "Kara Danvers?" he asked.

Cat took Kara's hand. "There's no soliciting at this building. Please leave."

The man lifted a hand to stop them as he focused on the younger woman. "Are you Kara Danvers?"

Kara opened the door and caught Tom's attention crooking a finger at him. He nodded and trotted over to her but stopped and crossed his arms when he saw the man. "Sir, I asked you to leave the premises already today. We don't allow loitering."

The man shook his head. "All I want is to speak to Kara Danvers."

Kara frowned. "Well, if you don't even know what she looks like, you can't be a friend of hers. What is it you want?"

Reluctantly, the man reached into his inside pocket and pulled out an envelope. "I've been tasked with delivering this legal document to her."

Cat and Kara exchanged looks and the older woman nodded slightly. "Ok," Kara sighed. "I'm Kara Danvers." She held out her hand to accept it.

"Thank you!" the man replied, slapping the envelope gently into her palm. "Have a nice day." He straightened his shirt and strolled away towards his car as Kara unfolded the document and scanned the contents.

"What the hell?"she muttered. Then she looked at Cat. "Let's go up to my apartment. Thanks, Tom. I appreciate your support."

"No problem, Miss Danvers," Tom replied and held the door for them to enter ahead of him. Then he trotted ahead to call the elevator for them.

"It's Kara, remember?"

"Yes, Miss Danvers." He grinned and Cat chuckled, taking Kara's hand and leading her into the elevator.

When the door closed and the car was moving, Kara leaned back against the wall, looking at her feet. "Darling, what is it?"

The elevator stopped and they walked to Kara's door. She punched in her code and the lock obliged, letting them in. Then Kara handed Cat the document. "There are six female athletes bringing rape charges against the four men who raped me. Their assaults happened over the past six years."

Cat finished looking at the document and folded it back up. "They're offering you an opportunity to be plaintive number seven. Can they even do that since it happened outside of the U.S.?"

"I don't know," Kara shrugged. She turned and went to the living room window, crossing her arms as she gazed out.

Cat came closer and wrapped her arms around her taller girlfriend's waist from behind, resting her chin on her shoulder. "Are you ok?"

Kara's eyes fluttered closed as her chest tightened and tears ran down her cheeks. "I don't know," she whispered. "Would… would you excuse me for a minute?"

Cat let her go and watched as Kara moved quickly up a corridor and disappeared through a door. Then she sighed as she heard throwing up. "Shit." She went to the refrigerator and found a bottle of water, then waited to hear the toilet flush before she went to find her girlfriend. Kara was sitting on the floor in the bathroom, her back against the shower stall and her forehead pressed into her arms as they rested on her blended knees. Cat grabbed a small towel and dampened it with cool water. Then she sat down next to the younger woman and laid the folded towel across the back of her neck. "Have some water, Darling," she said softly. "It'll make you feel better."

Robotically, Kara opened the bottle and drank some. Then she tipped her head back against the glass wall and closed her eyes. "Why now?" she said, so quietly that Cat barely caught it. "I was moving forward, Cat. I was finally happy."

"This will be your choice, Darling. Whether you pursue it or not, I'll be there to support you every step of the way. There's no reason why we need to lose our happiness."

Kara reached over and took Cat's hand, lacing their fingers together. "Before I make a decision at all, I need to hear all the facts. I'll call the lawyer tomorrow and set up a meeting." Then she looked at Cat. "Would you mind giving me a few minutes alone?"

"Of course I don't mind," the older woman smiled. "I'll see you in the living room when you're ready." She got up off the floor and went to the door.

"There's white wine in the refrigerator," Kara added. "Help yourself."


	16. Chapter 16

Drowning Chapter Sixteen

A/N: Emotional and meaningful conversation... with some fluff!

* * *

It didn't take long for Kara to pad, barefoot, back into the living room after showering and changing into shorts and a tank top. She found Cat sitting in her window seat, knees up and a glass of wine in hand as she gazed out over National City. The view wasn't as impressive as the one from her office at CatCo Plaza but Kara's building overlooked a lovely neighborhood and there was a pretty view of the local park.

Kara climbed into the window seat to sit between Cat's legs and lean back against her chest, sighing as her girlfriend's arms closed around her. She didn't say anything. She didn't feel like she needed to. She just relaxed and closed her eyes, thinking about the decision she knew she'd have to make. A large part of her wanted to let it go, to not even have to think about what might happen if there was a trial. But a bigger part of her, the part of her that was maybe her inner strength, told her that she deserved justice.

Kara had no idea how this lawyer had even known about her. Sure, the night of her attack, there had been other athletes around, asking why the police and ambulance were at the hotel, but she didn't actually talk to anyone, including the media, about what happened. She suddenly wondered if Winn had told anyone… but she didn't think he would have. Winn was her best friend and he would have told her if he'd been approached.

"I can hear you thinking," Cat said softly as she kissed Kara's damp head. "You doing ok?"

"Sorry… the shock got the better of me," Kara replied. "This is kinda the very last thing I would have ever expected."

"Mmm.." Cat nodded. "Agreed. It's been four years. It'll be interesting to hear why it's finally come up this way."

"Cat?" Kara turned slightly to look at her girlfriend.

"Yes, Darling?"

"Do you think you could come to the meeting with me? I know the decision is mine but it'd really help me to be able to talk through it with you."

"Of course I'll come with you, Kara," Cat replied. "Do you want me to call my lawyer so you can have someone there who will solely represent you?"

"Not yet," Kara replied after a moment's thought. "Let's just see what happens and then I can decide if I need it."

"Ok." As if on queue, Kara's stomach rumbled. "It's dinner o'clock," Cat chuckled. "Want to order something?"

Kara glanced over at the clock on her cable box, surprised to see that it was after six. "Sure. There's a lot of stuff around here. Pizza, sushi, Chinese, Italian… there's even a tapas place that delivers."

"Is the Italian place good?" Cat asked, thinking that some lasagna would go down well.

"Oh, it's great," her girlfriend replied. "I love their Alfredo sauce. They take online orders too. Let me grab my MacBook." Kara slid out of the window seat and went to her office to grab the notebook. They looked through the menu and placed their order, the confirmation telling them it would be about forty-five minutes. "Hey," Kara said with a smile, closing the lid on her computer. "Let me show you around."

"Great," Cat grinned. "Lead on."

The younger woman took her girlfriend's hand. "You've seen the living room and kitchen already." She led Cat through an arch into the dining room. It was decorated in modern colors with clean lines and held a stunning metal and glass table and chair set.

"Wow," Cat exclaimed. "I LOVE this dining set."

"Thanks," Kara grinned. "Through here is my office. I can work here if I have no clients for the day, but I still prefer going to Breathe." The office space was a small space but full of natural light from a large floor to ceiling window. The view was great too.

"You're like me," Cat commented. "I prefer going to the office too. How else can I satisfactorily terrify my staff into giving the company their best?"

Kara led Cat around to the corridor where the bathroom was. "Sounds like you're a tough boss."

"I'm sweetness and light," Cat joked in return as her girlfriend led her into the first bedroom. It was a guest suite with a large bed and again, floor to ceiling windows. "I love the light in this apartment."

"Me too," the instructor agreed. "It was one of the main things that sold me on the place." She led Cat to the next bedroom, which was actually her gym space. A treadmill, elliptical and weight machine lined the window side of the room and an area with mats and free weights lined the opposite mirrored wall.

"Nice," Cat complimented. "I have a gym area at my house too. I'll show you the next time you're over."

"Cool. Ok, last but not least, my bedroom." Kara pushed open the door and tugged Cat inside. The space was large and airy. Against one wall was a king-sized bed with nightstands on each side. Opposite the bed was a seating area with a leather suite, coffee table and a large television. On the third wall were two doors, the first a walk-in closet and the second, the entry to the master bathroom. The room was tidy and tastefully decorated, yet it was lived in and so Kara.

"This room is gorgeous," Cat smiled. It smelled of fresh linens and Kara's subtle perfume. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and hugged her, kissing her neck. "I hope to see a lot more of it."

Kara grinned widely and tightened her arms around Cat's waist. "Well, that depends on your curfew, I guess," she teased. "Do you have to be home early?"

Cat kissed her gently. "I don't have to go home at all," she replied. "It's completely up to you to tell me to stay or go."

Kara nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. "Cat… if… if I ask you to stay tonight… could it just be to, you know, sleep and not… I don't think I'm…"

"Hey…" Cat cupped Kara's face, smoothing her thumbs gently across her cheekbones. "As slow as we need to, remember? You mean the world to me and I want you to be comfortable in and happy with our relationship."

"I am," Kara confirmed. "I really am but… sorry…" She pulled away and put one hand on her hip as she rubbed her forehead. Cat was beginning to recognize that as Kara's stress tell. That and pacing, which Kara was also doing now. "I want to move forward… God, I really do… but I'm scared and… it's stupid, Cat, because it's you and I love being with you and having you touch me, which is something I haven't wanted from anyone in a long time, and I know you're probably thinking I'm just a tease but I swear I'm not!" Cat amended her list. And rambling apparently. "Ugh, it's so frustrating, Honey!"

The older woman slowly moved to the bed and took a seat on the edge, patting the space beside her and lifting an eyebrow. Kara got the message and moved to sit next to her. "When I was in high school, the beginning of my sophomore year actually, I was dating a guy called Steve Bryan. He was smart and cute and I really liked him. But I was a virgin and shortly after we began dating, he started pressuring me to have sex with him." She looked at Kara, who nodded. "I told him no, that I wasn't ready. At first he accepted it but fast forward a couple of months and he started whining about being the only guy who hadn't done it yet and how his friends were making fun of him. But I held my ground, Kara. I continued to tell him no. Then one night, we were fooling around on my bed and he was pushing a little so I told him to back off." She paused and shook her head. "But he wouldn't. He got angry and pinned my arms over my head… and started opening my pants and, as I struggled against him, I realized he was too strong and I was horrified when I realized that he was going to rape me."

'Oh my God, Cat," Kara whispered.

"Well, it ended ok," Cat replied with a shrug. "My mother had been out at some…" She waved her hand. "Do or other… but she'd developed a migraine and come home early. She called up to me from the downstairs hallway and scared the crap out of old Steve, who deflated to nothing and practically jumped out the window to get away. Needless to say, we broke up. But, Kara, the reason why I'm telling you this is… I didn't date another guy for six months after that and it was over a year before I felt ready to even think about having sex. I was terrified and I wasn't even actually raped." She stroked Kara's face. "You, my Darling, were. So… I fully understand if you're not ready for us to have sex and I'll be here if and when you are."

"Thank you, Cat," Kara said breathlessly and threw her arms around her girlfriend in a tight hug. "I love you."

The words were out of Kara's mouth before she knew they were coming but she didn't try to cover them up or take them back because they were the truth of her heart.

"And I love you."

Cat's whispered reply in Kara's ear, turned her into a quivering mess and she cried softly into the older woman's shoulder as the stress of the day finally caught up to her.

Xx

Kara had managed to eat some of her Italian meal, even though her appetite had all but disappeared, and now she and Cat were lounging on the sofa together watching one of Kara's favorite superhero shows.

"So…" Cat pointed at the screen. "This guy got hit by lightening during a reactor meltdown and turned into the fastest man alive?"

"Yeah, The Flash," Kara replied.

"Says he," Cat muttered.

"Huh?" Kara asked, frowning.

"I mean… HE says he's the fastest man alive. How does he know that there's not another man who's faster than him? And why is he not Nuclear Man if it was a reactor meltdown." She paused, thinking. "And what about that young guy… Willy? How do we know that he's not faster than The Flash?"

"Wally," Kara giggled. "His name is Wally. I think they did tests and Barry was faster than Wally."

"Hmmm…" Cat nodded. "So there are two fast guys, a woman who's a doctor and can turn into a very cold villain and a guy who can create breaches in space to go other places?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Kara smiled, feeling a little better.

"What a strange combination," the older woman mused as she ran her fingers through her girlfriend's hair. "That woman, Iris, she's very attractive though."

"Yeah, she's beautiful," Kara agreed. She grabbed her beer from the coffee table and took a slug. Her nerves had settled after talking to Cat and, while she had a slight headache, she was definitely feeling better. The hadn't talked about what they'd said to each other but there was plenty of time for that. For now, they were just enjoying each other's company.

"Why do you like superheroes so much?" Cat asked curiously. It had never really been her thing, although having met Gal Gadot, she had actually gone to see Wonder Woman and had loved it.

"I think it's because of the selflessness of the heroes. They risk their lives every day to save someone else's. I know there are no such things are real superheroes but there are so many heroes out there, Cat. People who do things for others just because they're good people and don't want anything in return. I can't think of a better way to live your life." She yawned then and put her hand over her mouth to cover it. "Oh boy. Sorry."

"Tired, Darling?" Cat asked with a smile.

"Exhausted. It's been a rollercoaster day," Kara replied.

"Why don't we watch television in your room. I can call an Uber and see myself out when you fall asleep."

"No," the younger woman replied. "We can watch tv in bed but I don't want you to leave, Cat. I want to sleep next to you and wake up with you tomorrow."

"Ok." Cat smiled widely. "I'd love that, Kara."

The younger woman got up and went to the refrigerator to get two bottles of water and to take a pain pill. Her hand was bothering her a little from all the swimming that day. It was definitely much better though. They went to the bedroom and Kara gave Cat a tank top and soft shorts, into which the older woman changed in the bathroom while Kara turned on the tv and turned down the bed.

The room was air conditioned and cool and Kara left the heavier quilt at the end of the bed, electing instead to just use the sheets and light blanket. She climbed into the bed and lay on the side furthest away from the bathroom so Cat could get straight in when she was done.

She flipped through the channels and found a documentary on tigers that she'd wanted to see so she hit the Start Over function to play it from the beginning. A few minutes in, Cat came out of the bathroom and climbed into bed next to her. The older woman's hair was damp around her face from where she'd washed her makeup off. She looked fresh-faced and she smelled minty after brushing her teeth with the spare toothbrush Kara had given her. At fifty, her girlfriend didn't think she looked her age at all.

Cat rolled onto her side and rested her head on Kara's shoulder as she wrapped her arm around her waist. "I love tigers," she murmured.

"Me too," Kara replied with a smile, holding her close. She closed her eyes and relaxed, listening to Sir David Attenborough as he talked enthusiastically about one of his great loves, the Bengal Tiger.

But an hour later, as the documentary ended, neither of the blondes saw it. They were both fast asleep, snuggled together in the center of Kara's king-sized bed.


	17. Chapter 17

Drowning Chapter Seventeen

A/N: A bit of organization...

* * *

Cat suddenly woke up. It was dark and it took her a moment to get her bearings but she quickly realized that she was still lying in Kara's arms. The younger woman was on her back with her left hand resting on the pillow above her head and Cat could see her eyes darting around under her lids as she slept.

With a contented smile, the CEO closed her eyes again and relaxed but a sudden sound of distress from her girlfriend, made her pick up her head again. Kara's face was suddenly twisted in fear, her brow heavily furrowed, and she shook her head hard. "No! Don't touch me!" Her arm around Cat convulsed as her left hand came off the pillow to protect herself from an unknown force. "No! Please, no!"

Cat lifted herself onto one elbow to free her girlfriend's arm. She knew that restraining Kara would distress her more so she just spoke to her. "Kara? It's ok. You're here with me and you're safe, my Love. Everything's going to be ok."

Kara continued to fight her dream attackers but Cat just kept up the reassuring words until her girlfriend calmed and finally, her eyes fluttered open. "Hi," the CEO smiled.

"Cat," Kara said groggily. "What…?" She looked around, trembling and completely disoriented.

"You were having a nightmare, Darling." Cat tried to touch Kara's face but the younger woman drew away. Then she suddenly seemed to understand what was happening and she laced her fingers into her hair as she blew out a long breath.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

"You have nothing to apologize for," the older woman smiled. She didn't try to touch Kara again but simply lay on her side close to her. "Was it a bad one?"

"It's pretty much always the same." Kara rolled onto her side, facing Cat and pressed tightly against her, sighing softly as the older woman slowly rubbed her back. "I don't want to be alone anymore," she whispered.

Cat smiled and kissed the top of her head. "You're not alone, Darling. I promise."

Xx

"This afternoon? That quickly? Well… sure, a video conference would be fine." Kara looked over at Cat, who was sitting next to her at the kitchen island, and made a face. Cat raised her eyebrows and took a sip of her coffee. "Ok, email me the details please. Thank you. Goodbye." Kara picked up her own mug and blew on the hot liquid. "The case is being handled by a firm in New York. The lawyers apparently have extensive experience in trying cases for crimes that happen to American citizens overseas. The other plaintives are also American. They want to do the initial meeting over WebEx and explain the process. It'll just be us and the two lead lawyers."

"I see," Cat replied thoughtfully.

They sat in companionable silence for a moment. Then Kara looked at her girlfriend with a little smile on her lips. "Thank you, Cat."

"For what?" the older woman asked, surprised.

"Everything," Kara stated simply. She set down her cup and took a muffin from the plate in front of her, pulling it apart and slowly eating a chunk. "Did you hear back from your assistant about picking up Carter?"

"Oh, I did actually," Cat replied. "He's landing at about four tomorrow. I'll pick him up at the regional airport."

"Awesome. I think I'll go back to work tomorrow. My bruises are pretty much gone and my hand is much better." Kara paused uncertainly. "Will I see you at the weekend maybe?"

Cat frowned. "The weekend? Why? It's only Tuesday."

"I know," the instructor explained. "But Carter will be home and you're going to want to spend time with him, right?"

"Well, of course," Cat chuckled. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to spend time with you, Darling. In fact, I was thinking that you and Carter could meet each other on Thursday evening. Maybe we could go out for dinner together?"

"You want me to meet him? Like… soon?" Kara asked, blinking.

"He told me on the phone that he wants to meet you. Are you ok with that? I mean, if it's too soon, I can tell him next week?"

"No," the instructor grinned. "Thursday night sounds great. Why don't we take him to that movie restaurant he likes so much?" She chuckled then. "That way, if he hates me, he can just ignore me and watch the movies on the TVs."

Cat rolled her eyes. "Kara, I know my son. He's not going to hate you. Just be yourself. Besides, you have a coolness factor that no one else I've dated has had."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Kara asked.

"You're an Olympic swimmer, Darling! Carter loves watching the Olympics, although a large part of me thinks it's for the women in skimpy outfits. Anyway, be prepared to be bombarded with questions."

"Oh, right. Ok." Kara laughed. "I didn't know that made me cool." She got up from her stool and went to the coffee machine to grab the jug. She held it up and Cat nodded, inhaling the warm sent of hazelnut as Kara topped up their mugs. "Maybe I'll bring the medals," she joked.

Cat looked around. "You haven't displayed them anywhere?"

Kara shrugged. "No. Alex says I should but… I dunno…"

"You worked so hard for so long. You earned them, Kara," Cat stated. "Are you not proud of them?"

"I am," the younger woman replied. "But having them on display is a constant reminder of that time in my life and those memories are tainted."

Cat leaned over to kiss Kara's temple. "Maybe there's a way to make positive memories around them. Maybe, displaying them proudly can help with processing the trauma. Just a thought. You can decide for yourself." She looked at her watch then. "It's almost eleven. Would you like to take the video conference at my house? I have a conferencing unit in my office."

"Sounds great." Kara hopped off her stool. "Let me just get showered and into some more businesslike duds."

Xx

A couple of hours later, back at Cat's house and after lunch with Martina, Kara checked her email to find the conference details waiting for her. It was set to start at three and she was already starting to feel nervous. Cat was in the living room reading a novel and, alone in the office, Kara just sat quietly, practicing the breathing techniques taught to her by her therapist and trying to still her mind. When she was feeling calmer, she pulled out her phone and called Winn's desk. He didn't pick up so she called his cell.

 _Hey, Kara,_ he answered, his voice jovial. _How are things?_

"Pretty good thanks. How are Paul and the Munchkin?"

 _Trouble, as always._ The manager laughed. _God, I miss you around here._

"I miss you all too. Actually, that's part of why I'm calling. I'm coming back to work tomorrow so if you could give Mike a heads up, I'd appreciate it. I'll talk to him about the schedule myself tomorrow."

 _Sure,_ Winn replied amiably. _He was great by the way. He really stepped up while you were gone. I'm paying him overtime but maybe give him an extra bit of praise? He has a huge crush on you, you know?_

"Pshaw," Kara replied. "Mike does not have a crush on me!"

"Yes, he does!" Cat called from the other room, making Kara's shoulders shake with laughter.

"Cat agrees with you," she told Winn.

 _Oh, are you at Cat's house?_ her friend asked excitedly. _Have you two slept together yet?_

Kara cleared her throat gently. "Yes and No and you know why not. Which kinda lets me Segway into the other thing I wanted to talk to you about."

 _Ok. I'm back in my office. Do I need to close my door?_ Winn asked.

"Yeah, you really do," Kara replied.

 _So, what is it, Sweetie?_

From the beginning, Kara outlined the document she'd received from the process server and the details she knew from her brief call with the law firm that morning. When she finally paused, Winn took a deep breath. They were both quiet for a moment. _Wow, Kara…_

"I know," she replied. "I wanted to talk to you because you were a part of this too. If I go ahead, they might need to call you as a witness and I don't want to just lay that on you…"

 _Kara,_ her friend interrupted. _If doing this means that those bastards are convicted, I'll testify as many times as I need to. The decision is yours, Sweetie._

"Thank you, Winn," the instructor replied, her voice hoarse with emotion. "I'll let you know how the call goes this afternoon."

 _Ok, Kar. Talk to you later._


	18. Chapter 18

Drowning Chapter Eighteen

A/N: Kara gets more information about the case and Cat helps her to not fall apart.

I tried to balance the angst and fluff in this chapter. There may even be a touch of comedy.

* * *

Cat was the picture of professionalism, sitting comfortably in her chair in front of the conference unit with her hands folded in her lap. Outwardly, Kara looked the same but her almost imperceptibly trembling hands gave her away.

"Miss Danvers, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Jane Stockwell and I'm the lead attorney on this case." She looked to the woman sitting next to her. "This is Regina Stockwell. She's my second chair."

Kara smiled amiably. "Good to meet you too. This is Cat Grant…"

"Oh…" Jane interrupted. "I'm sorry, Miss Danvers, but I'm aware of Miss Grant's illustrious career and we can't allow a member of the media community to be present during this meeting."

Cat glanced at Kara, a tiny smile pulling at her lips but said nothing. Kara, on the other hand, bristled a little and leaned forward in her chair. "Let's get this out in the open. Cat is my girlfriend and I want her involved every step of the way."

Regina and Jane exchanged looks and then smiled. "We fully understand, Miss Danvers and please accept our apologies, Ladies. We weren't aware of the circumstances of your personal life."

"That's ok. And please call me Kara," the younger woman replied, relaxing and crossing her legs. "Ok, so where do we begin?"

"Let me start," Jane said. "By giving you the high-level details of what we're trying to achieve. Then we can talk a little about your specific circumstances." Kara nodded, glancing at Cat, who had grabbed a pad and pen from her desk and was beginning the take notes. Kara smiled gratefully at her. "So, this case is fairly simple in legal terms," Regina went on. "The bottom line is, we have six U.S. citizens who have made allegations of sexual assault against four men that occurred over a six-year period between two-thousand-twelve and March of this year."

Kara sucked in a surprised breath. "This year? They've been doing it all this time?" Her face twisted into anger and she glanced at Cat before looking back at the lawyers. "I had no idea."

"Yes, Kara," Jane went on. "We also have been gathering evidence against these men and we have proof that their coaches and fathers were bribing officials to let their… indiscretions… slip under the radar."

"That's what happened to me," Kara replied. "The police told me that there wasn't enough evidence to charge them but I could never understand how that was possible. How the hell is a woman raped and tortured by four different men over two hours without their being evidence?!" She shook her head. "But I was too traumatized at the time to pursue it. I just wanted to come home."

"Understandable," Regina replied quietly. "Our team has uncovered some documentation about the other survivors' cases and we'd like to see what we can find on yours."

"Survivors?" Kara said slowly.

"Yes," Jane clarified. "One of their victims didn't survive. She bled to death after one of accused allegedly sliced too deeply into her arm and severed an artery. At least one of them is looking at a murder charge. That's how all of this came to light."

There was silence for a long moment and then Kara doubled over in her chair, arms wrapped around her stomach and trying desperately to not throw up. Cat knelt at her side, holding the trash can from under her desk. "It's ok, Darling. I've got you."

Jane and Regina waited respectfully while Kara worked through her shock and anger and finally, the young woman sat upright and gazed right into the camera. "I'm in," she said. "Whatever I can do. Anything at all. We have to get these bastards."

Wide smiles rose to the lawyers' faces and Jane leaned forward in her chair. "Believe me, Kara, we want these guys just as much as you do. We already have the paperwork in place to get them extradited to the United States."

"That's great news. Um… can I ask how you heard about what happened to me?"

Regina looked down at her notebook and flipped a couple of pages. "Your name was given to us by the most recent victim. She told us she was a friend of yours but you lost touch a few years back. Her name is Andrea Jones?"

"Oh my God… Andrea..." Kara whispered. "Yes, she and I were close at one point…" She trailed off, glancing at Cat. Then she looked back at the camera. "Miss Stockwell… s… what do we do next?"

"Now," Jane replied. "With your permission, we're going to send out investigative team to dig up as much as we can about what happened to you. Someone somewhere in Bledovia has to have something that can be traced back to what happened to you. We just have to find it. We'll let you know as soon as we have anything and we'll also keep you updated on what's going on. When we're further along in the process, we'll talk about meeting face-to-face."

"Thank you, Ladies," Kara replied. "Talk to you soon."

Cat ended the conference call. "Are you ok?" she asked gently.

"No, I'm really, really not," Kara replied angrily. "I need to swim." She toed off her heels, turned and walked purposefully toward the French doors out to the patio, unbuttoning her blouse as she went and then unzipping her knee-length skirt. When she reached the pool, she dropped her clothes on a chair and dove into the water in her underwear. Then she swam. She swam as fast as she could, zipping up and down the pool with quick precise tumbles in between each length as Cat relaxed in one of the loungers, watching her.

Cat got it. There were plenty of times during her life and career when all she wanted to do was hit something, to get out some of the stress and anger she felt. She knew swimming did that for her girlfriend so she just waited, silently showing her support as over and over, Kara swam past her. Cat lost count after a while and just closed her eyes, marveling at the determination she'd seen in the younger woman's eyes when she'd agreed to help. In the grand scheme of their relationship, Cat still didn't know Kara very well and, frankly, the fact that she'd fallen in love with the younger woman so quickly scared her a little, but she knew Kara well enough to understand that she wouldn't have made any other choice.

Kara needed to help those women like she needed to breathe. And in doing so, she could maybe bring some peace her herself.

Andrea. Cat wondered about the name that had seemed to affect her girlfriend so much. An old team mate perhaps? A friend? Maybe even an old girlfriend of Kara's? Cat was a pragmatist. She had no reason or desire to believe that she was the only person Kara had ever loved. If Kara wanted to tell her about Andrea, she'd listen. But she didn't feel like she should ask. Not yet anyway. Kara needed some time to calm down and center herself. One thing at a time.

It was another thirty minutes before a dripping, underwear-clad Kara padded toward her, her chest heaving and a sheepish smile on her face. "Hi. Um… I forgot about a towel…" She looked down at herself. "And a suit. Sorry."

Cat let her eyes roam over her girlfriend. "Best mistake you've ever made," she replied and Kara blushed, obviously fighting her desire to cover herself up.

"Cat," she said, head tilted in admonishment. "I'm feeling kinda vulnerable here."

"Forgive me," the older woman replied. "I just think you're beautiful. I didn't mean to embarrass you." She got out of her lounger. "Come to the patio door, I'll bring you some towels. No dripping on my floors."

"Yes, Ma'am," Kara dutifully replied as she followed her girlfriend. She waited at the door, arms crossed over her chest until Cat came back with a couple of towels. The older woman waited as she dried off and then took her hand.

"Come with me." She led Kara to her bedroom and into the bathroom where she started the bath running. She added bath salts and lit some candles along the inside wall of the large tub. Then she turned to her girlfriend and smiled. "You, Darling, are going to take a bath and relax while I make us some dinner, ok? You have a lot to think about and process. When you're ready to talk I'll be in the kitchen. I'll leave some clothes out on the bed for when you're finished."

Kara stared at her for a long moment, tears welling up. "You're so kind to me," she replied, wiping her baby blues with the back of her hand.

"I love you and these are things you do for people you love," Cat replied. She kissed the younger woman on the lips and then sidled past to look for some clothes for her in the bedroom closet.

Kara shed her towels and wet underwear and turned off the faucet before stepping into the tub and sliding down into the water. It was heavenly and she relaxed as her mind ran through all of the information she'd received from the lawyers.

It was a lot.

Andrea. That was a name Kara hadn't heard in a while and hadn't allowed herself to think about. How long had it been? Five years? Six? Easily. Andrea had been assaulted. Kara felt sick again. Sweet, kind and supportive Andrea. A great friend… until she wasn't. Kara could still remember the emotions that moved across Andrea's face when she'd told her. Shock, compassion and then pleasant distance. Everything had changed with one simple sentence. _I want to be with you._

Sitting up, Kara grabbed the shampoo and, after a quick dunk, lathered her hair. Thinking about Andrea was too hard so she concentrated on washing up so she could get back out to her new love. The person who was slowly becoming everything to her. Relaxation was overrated. Kissing was better.

She dried off and dressed before heading into the kitchen. Cat smiled at her as she took in the comfortable sweatpants that were a couple of inches too short and a t-shirt that looked adorable on her. Kara grinned and looked down at her own legs. "Hazard of dating someone who's a lot shorter than you are," Cat commented as she stirred something in a pot, the smell drawing the younger woman closer.

Kara moved around the island and wrapped her arms around Cat from behind, swaying them gently as her girlfriend stirred. "That smells amazing. What is it?" she asked.

"Just a simple Alfredo," the CEO replied. "Martina had some chicken, cheese, onions, a jar of Alfredo sauce and pasta. I sautéed the chicken, boiled the pasta and then threw them all together." Kara nodded, kissing her temple. "Are you feeling better, Darling?"

"You make me feel better," Kara replied softly. "Honestly, I don't know what I would have done without you today. It was a lot to take in."

Cat nodded, stirring for another moment or two before clearing her throat."You said two hours."

"Hmm?" Kara asked, not understanding.

"You said they tortured and raped you for two hours. I didn't… know."

"Oh," Kara replied on an expelled breath, her arms dropping to her sides and her eyes filling with fear. "Yeah. Cat, I know this is a lot to deal with. I'M a lot to deal with. I love you but if you can't be with me, I get it and I'll leave right now."

Slowly, Cat turned, looking up into her eyes and seeing the fear there. "That's not what I want," she replied. "You've made me so happy and I can't lose that. I love you too much. I just… I can't imagine what you went through. It kills me, Kara."

"Ssshhh…" The younger woman leaned forward and kissed Cat. "It's ok. You're helping me to feel better and be stronger. For the first time in longer than I can remember, I think I'm going to be ok."

Kara kissed Cat again, deeper and with more urgency. She felt Cat's hands in her hair, tugging gently and a surge of raw arousal coursed through her. Kara picked her up and turned, sitting her on the counter top and stepping between her legs, groaning softly as Cat's legs tightened around her waist and held her there. Cat's hands roamed up and down Kara's back, pulling her impossibly closer as their tongues dueled. And then Kara's fingers were undoing Cat's blouse, her lips trailing kisses down her girlfriend's chest as the fabric parted to reveal perfect breasts encased in a black lace bra.

Cat leaned back on her elbows as Kara palmed her breasts, lips sucking at her neck, teeth scraping the tender skin. "Darling, Darling," she groaned. "Carter, no marks… ok?"

"Right, sorry…" Kara gasped. Then she heard a door opening and closing and then footsteps approaching. "Shit… Martina…" She pulled back suddenly as Cat up and the CEO lost her balance and almost fell off the counter. Kara caught and straightened her and they both started to laugh. They were both still grinning when Martina appeared. The housekeeper stopped dead. Cat was fiddling with her blouse and Kara was innocently stirring the pot on the stove. Martina eyed them suspiciously.

"What's happening?"

"Dinner," Kara replied. "Cat cooked."

The housekeeper moved closer and looked into the pot, then she looked at Kara with a raised eyebrow. "Dessert too?" she asked.

Cat cleared her throat and wiped her own lipstick color off the side of Kara's mouth with her thumb. "Not yet," she muttered.

"Riiiight." Martina shook her head, looking from one to the other and back. "Well, I'll leave you two to… eat. See you later." She turned and headed for the hallway.

The women watched her until she was out of sight and then fell back into laugher. "Busted." Kara exclaimed. "Jesus. I feel like a teenager who got caught by their Mom."

"Me too," Cat agreed, leaning in for another quick kiss. "But it was fun."

She grabbed a big plate and heaped it with pasta and Alfredo sauce and found two forks in the drawer. Kara grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses and they carried their feast into the living room to watch a movie, leaning against each other and finally relaxing into the evening.


	19. Chapter 19

Drowning Chapter Nineteen

Guess who's back… and it's not just one person either!

A/N: I'm dropping a second chapter for today because I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have to write over the next few days. Enjoy!

* * *

Things were starting to feel… normal. It was lunch time and Kara was sitting in her office, dressed in her company polo and a pair of shorts with flip-flops on her feet. She'd given three lessons earlier in the day and now she was going through her business email and voicemails. Not that there were many. Winn, with his assistant, handled the day to day running of the business, along with teaching a Judo class each day and that was the way Kara liked it. She was a silent partner, mostly, and a lot of people didn't even realize she was the co-owner.

The first person who'd come to see her was Mike and, being more aware of his body language, she'd realized that he maybe did have a tiny crush on her. She'd had a chat with him about the teaching schedule and thanked him for having her back when she was injured. He'd left the office, red as a beet and smiling broadly, only to come back fifteen minutes later, babbling nervously as he tried to ask her out. She'd let him down easy of course, saying that he was a great guy but she was already in a relationship and she was happy. He left a second time, disappointed but happy for her, which just cemented her opinion of his being a great guy.

Glancing at the clock, Kara saw that it was almost two and she pulled her phone out of her pocket. There was a message from Cat telling her she'd left her heels in the office, in case she was looking for them. She chuckled and sent crying and shoe emojis back. Then she got up and stretched. Her body was aching so she did some backbends and rolled her shoulders and neck trying to loosen up. Maybe a hundred and nineteen lengths at full speed in Cat's pool hadn't been the best decision ever. She hadn't swum like that since competition… although part of her was proud to see that her body could still do it if it had to.

Kara left her office and strolled to Winn's to see if he was there. He was on the phone with the door open so she wandered inside and flopped down into his guest chair. His assistant, Carla, was sitting at the work table, sipping on her coffee and lifted a hand to wave to her. Kara winked back and started making faces at Winn who was dealing with an irate customer. Carla almost spit her coffee across the room and clapped a hand over her mouth as Winn flipped Kara off and turned his back to her. The instructor chuckled and crossed her ankle over her knee, drumming on her foot as she waited for him to finish.

"So," she said as he turned back around and hung the phone up. "What's up? Did I miss anything important while I was gone?"

"Only this guy's pining for you," Carla replied, rolling her eyes as she pointed at Winn. "I swear, if I didn't know he was gay and married, I'd think he was in love with you."

The manager chuckled and got up, moving around the desk to kiss Kara's head. "I am in love with her. In the best way with no strings," he replied. "And yes, I missed you a lot, Kar. It's not the same without you around."

"I have to agree," Carla added. She was a beautiful brunette with stunning green eyes and had made no secret of the fact that she found Kara attractive. "When are you going to let me buy you that drink?"

"Oh… um…" Kara couldn't think of an excuse fast enough so Winn rescued her.

"Hey, this woman is firmly taken. That's where she was these past few days. Making da crrrazzzy sexy time."

"Riiiiight," Kara scoffed. "Because sprained hands and black eyes are SOOOO attractive." She smiled then. "But Winn's right. I'm in a relationship with someone amazing."

"Good for you," Carla replied. She got up then and gathered her stuff. "Gotta go, Kiddies. I've got a business to run." She winked at them and sauntered out the door, whistling softly.

Winn got up and closed his door, moving back to sit on the edge of his desk. "How are you doing, Sweetie?"

Kara shrugged. "I'm holding up," she replied. "Yesterday was tough, hearing all the stuff I told you about last night. But Cat was amazing and really took care of me."

"I have to admit that I had my doubts about you two at the beginning, Kar, with the age difference between you and stuff. But she seems to be so good for you."

"Winn… I've fallen in love with her."

The words hung in the silence of the office, the ticking clock on the wall the only indication of the passing time. Kara's eyes met Winn's and he smiled. "So I see. I haven't seen a light in your eyes like this since before that night."

"I know," the instructor agreed. "It's feels good."

"I bet. I'm glad you're happy, Kar. That's all I've ever wanted for you."

Kara felt the sting of tears so she got up and punched his shoulder gently. "Sap." Then she hugged him hard. "Love you. Gotta go." She left his office quickly, wiping at her eyes and he chuckled and went back to his desk to sit down. It seems like it was almost time to properly meet the woman who'd won his best friend's heart.

Xx

Cat looked at her watch again. It was a minute later than the previous time she'd looked and she sighed heavily. Carter's flight was late due to the weather in Seattle being bad… of course. She couldn't wait to see her son, to hug him, to ruffle his curly hair.

"Miss Grant," her driver said, opening the door of the car for her. "They're here."

"Thanks, Ian." Cat stepped out and watched as the small jet touched down, braked to taxiing speed and then turned to come back toward her. Moments later, the plane has stopped and the steps were coming down. And there her son was. Cat started walking towards him as he ran to her, right into her arms and not caring who was watching them.

"Mom! I missed you so much!" he exclaimed, hugging her tightly. He'd taken a stretch over the previous few months and was taller than her now, she realized and when she reached up to stroke his hair, there was much less there than she remembered.

"I missed you too, Sweetheart. I'm so glad you're home." She stepped back and held him at arms length to look him over. He seemed older. He'd cut his hair shorter than she'd ever seen it and when he turned his head, she saw a gem twinkling in his earlobe. "You pierced your ear?" she said, incredulously.

"Don't be mad, Mom," he said quickly. "Dad brought me to an amazing men's salon for my birthday gift. I got a manicure and pedicure." He held out his hands for her to see. "And I got a haircut and this piercing. He got me a leather jacket too but I left it on the plane."

"I'm not mad," Cat said, barely trusting herself to speak. Her son looked so grown up and it brought tears to her eyes. "You look amazing. I have to try to remember that you're not a little boy anymore."

"No, I'm fifteen now. Well, almost." Carter grinned at her and she fell in love with her child all over again.

"C'mon, young man," Cat smiled. "Let's get your gear and get you home."

As it turned out, Carter had quite a lot of gear and it all wouldn't fit in the car so Cat arranged for Ian to come back for the rest at the hanger baggage room later. She had to admit, her son cut quite a handsome figure in his new leather jacket and she started planning deaths in her mind for the girls who would unavoidably break his heart… or guys… she amended. She wasn't discriminating. Anyone who broke her son's heart would be put to death in an identical way.

"So, Mom," Cater said, bringing her back from her murderous thoughts. "Tell me about your… um… the woman you're seeing?"

"You can call her my girlfriend, Carter," she smiled. "This relationship is important to me. Her name is Kara Danvers. She's tall and beautiful with long blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes."

"Wow," Carter grinned. "She sounds lovely. How old is she?"

"Uh… well, she's quite a bit younger than I am actually."

"What do you mean?" Carter asked, his brow furrowing.

"She's a year older than your brother." Cat waited for the reaction. She had no idea what to expect.

Her son blinked for a moment and then fake-coughed "cradle-snatcher" with a grin.

She gently punched his shoulder. "Hey, watch it!"

Carter slipped out of his jacket and laid it reverently on the seat next to him. "Where did you meet?"

"Actually, we met at the new health and fitness club I joined. Kara was… well... is… my swimming instructor," Cat explained. "You don't remember her, do you?"

"Should I?" Carter asked with a confused look.

"Well, you watched her swim in the Olympics four years ago. She won three gold medals. You were only little though. I didn't think you'd remember her."

"I might remember her when I meet her," he replied thoughtfully. "That's tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," Cat smiled. "We're all going out for dinner tomorrow night to that movie restaurant you love."

"Can she bring the medals? I've never seen a real Olympic medal up close."

Cat laughed. "I'll ask her. She's kinda modest and she keeps out of the press but she might bring them just for you."

"That'd be cool." Carter pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked up Kara Danvers in a Google search. "Huh… wow," he said, his eyes wide. "She's really beautiful."

"Yes, she is," Cat replied softly. "And I can't wait for you to meet each other."

Xx

"No Kara tonight?" Martina asked casually as she folded up some laundry next to Cat.

"No," Cat replied. "Her sister's flying in from England tonight and she's picking her up from the airport. I'll be seeing her tomorrow night. She and Carter are meeting each other at dinner."

"Very nice," the housekeeper replied. She continued folding socks as Cat folded some of Carter's t-shirts. "She's a really lovely woman."

Cat chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Whatever it is, you can say it."

"You're in love with her?"

"Yes, very much so," the CEO replied. "It snuck up and kicked my ass, Martina, the very first day I met her."

"Really?"

"Yeah, my first swimming lesson with her. She's beautiful of course and sexy as hell but it was so much more than that. While we were in the pool, I had a flashback under the water and panicked. She put her arms around me and held me and told me everything would be ok. And you know, Martina, I didn't want her to let me go. I didn't understand it at the time but it didn't take long for me to realize how I was feeling."

"That's a lovely story, Miss Grant," the housekeeper smiled.

"You know, you could call me Cat, Martina. We've known each other a long time."

"I know, Miss Grant," Martina smiled. "Maybe some day."

"MOM!"

"I'm right here, there's no need to yell, Sweetheart," Cat chuckled as she patted Martina's arm and went out into the kitchen.

"There you are. Want to see the new stuff I got with Dad?"

Cat smoothed her hand across her son's short hair. "I'd love to. Tell me all about your trip. Your Dad spoils you, you know."

Xx

Kara was lying in bed, in her underwear, reading a book. The plot was good but the writer was a little flowery for her taste so she put it down and picked up her phone to see what new videos she could find on YouTube. On a whim, she searched for clips of Cat to see if any of her statements or speeches were on there. Unsurprisingly, there were hundreds and she picked one at random, opening it up and patiently waiting through the ad.

Just like her real self, Clip-Cat was perfectly coiffed and exuding confidence as she spoke into the microphone. Kara felt like she was making eye-contact only with her as she spoke and it made the young woman smile. She watched a few more clips and then checked the time. Alex would be landing in an hour at National City International Airport, so she pulled on a pair of jeans and a hoodie and ran a brush through her hair. There was a security guy she didn't recognize at the front desk as she walked though the lobby, but that wasn't unusual for this time of night and she gave him a little wave as she headed out the door.

Traffic was light on the way to NCI and she easily found parking close to the terminal. She knew Alex would be tired and didn't want her to have to walk a lot. Kara followed the signs into the terminal to the meeting place for international arrivals and she scanned the monitor for Alex's flight, spotting it easily. "Already landed," she murmured to herself. "Perfect timing." Just then, a text arrived from her sister and she grinned and replied, telling Alex where to meet her and laughing when the older Danvers replied with _I need coffee!_

It didn't take long for Alex to appear with the large group of arriving passenger and Kara trotted to her, hugging her hard and lifting her off the ground with joy. "Easy, easy!" Alex laughed, feeling her bones creaking.

"God, it's so good to have you home, Alex" Kara said. "I have so much to tell you from the past couple of days and I'm dying to hear all about your trip."

"Trip… hell," Alex replied, poking her sister's chest. "I want to hear all about you and Cat." She stopped and held her sister still as she looked at her. "You look happy," she said in a wondering tone. "You look fantastic, Kara." Then her mouth dropped open. "Oh my God! My sister got laid!"

"Alex!" Kara laughed. "Stop it. I didn't get l…" She looked around and dropped her voice to an almost whisper. "I didn't get laid… yet…" She grinned. "It seems like we're maybe just about to go there when something interrupts. We were almost caught making out on the kitchen counter by her housekeeper yesterday."

Alex laced her arm through her sister's and they strolled towards the baggage claim area. "Well, I'm glad you're having fun, Kar. You deserve it."

Kara just smiled. It was so much more than that but she had plenty of time to talk to Alex about everything that had happened. "Thanks. So tell me about your trip. Did you meet anyone?"

"Actually, I met a few someones," Alex chuckled, pushing her short hair behind her ear. She'd dyed it a dark reddish color and it really suited her. "London is amazing. I saw Cats and Phantom of the Opera on the West End and found some really boho-chique restaurants to eat at by just strolling off the beaten path. The conference was amazing too. There's so much incredible research going on in the world. I was so impressed. Oh and they have the BEST fish and chips in London!"

Kara smiled and squeezed closer to her sister. "I can't wait to hear everything."


	20. Chapter 20

Drowning Chapter Twenty

The meeting… ;-)

* * *

Kara laughed as she tucked her bare feet up under her on Alex's couch. "Wow, first-date sex, Alex? That's not like you."

The older Danvers grinned, waving her wine glass a little. "Well, I know… but technically, it was only-date sex," she explained. "She was a London police officer. Indian-British with gorgeous skin and an accent to die for. When I told her I was just about to leave the country, she didn't want to waste any time. We spent a few really sweet hours together. Then I left to get on a plane home. I haven't slept in thirty-six hours." She pushed Kara's knee with her toes. "Alright, Kid. Spill the beans. What's been going on the past couple of days."

Kara filled Alex in on everything. When she got to the part about her helping with the prosecution, her sister's face changed to pure joy and she dove forward grabbing Kara and hugging her hard. "That is so fucking AMAZING!"

"I know!" Kara laughed, hugging her back. "I wish you'd been there. Cat sat in on the video conference with me. She didn't say a thing but she took notes for me and just…" Kara sighed. "She's like this solid, powerful wall that you can brace against. She just always seems to know what I need."

"Kara," Alex said softly. "You've known her a week. Are you sure this is what you want? You're not rushing into to this… are you?"

The blonde sighed. "I know. I can't explain why, but I was drawn to her the moment I met her. I've gone into this with my eyes wide open and I trust her as much as I trust you. I've never felt this way before. I feel joyous, Alex."

"Well, falling in love will do that for you," her sister replied with a smile.

"I guess so," Kara chuckled, rotating her wine glass in her fingers by its stem. "I'm meeting her son tomorrow evening. We're having dinner together."

"Seriously?" Alex teased. "I go away for two weeks and come back to find you with almost a wife and son?"

Kara grinned. "Two sons if you want to get technical," she bantered back. "One of whom is only a year younger than me."

The older Danvers sister nodded. "How do you feel about that? The age difference between you and Cat, I mean."

"Honestly? I know we're at different stages in our lives but… I've been through so much, Alex. I don't think I'm like other people my age. I feel like Cat and I are good for each other. She seems just as happy as I am."

"No, you're not like other people your age," Alex agreed. "Experience and trauma will do that to a person. I'd like to meet her. Maybe this weekend?"

"Sure, let me see what she's up to. Are you working days?"

Alex ran a hand through her hair and nodded. "Yeah. I'm off tomorrow but I need to go in and check on my patient. Then I'm on days for the next two weeks."

"Al," Kara replied. "You're Chief of Oncology, why do you work nights? Surely you have a team to do that for you?"

"I do the shifts like everyone else. Besides, I like working nights. It's quiet most of the time." She yawned then. "God, I'm tired. You want to crash here?"

"Nah," Kara replied with a smile. "Thanks for the offer but I have to get home." She looked at her Apple Watch. "I have to be up in four hours for work." She got up and slipped her flip-flops on. "Night, Al."

Alex got up too and went to the door with her. "Thanks for picking me up at the airport, Kar." She hugged her sister. "I love you."

"I love you too. I'll call you tomorrow," the younger Danvers replied and then headed out. Alex closed the door and went straight for her bedroom to crash.

Xx

Cat was barely dozing when her phone dinged. She picked it up out of its charging cradle and smiled at the text from Kara.

 _Sleeping?_

 _Just dozing. I'm still hyped up after my evening with Carter. We played Mario Kart and he kicked my ass as usual._

 _I love Mario Kart!_

 _Then you and Carter will get along famously. ;-) Oh, he asked me to ask you to bring the medals tomorrow night. You absolutely do not have to, if you don't want to._

There was no answer for a few minutes and Cat worried that Kara might be upset. She was just about to call her when a reply popped up on her screen.

 _I'll make sure they're polished. You're right, I should be proud of them. But don't tell him, just in case I lose my nerve._

Cat bit her bottom lip. _If that was a hard decision, I'm sorry_.

 _It's ok. I miss you. Good night._

 _I miss you too. Good night, Darling._

Xx

Kara was so nervous, she thought she might actually throw up. She'd gone back and forward from her closet to her bed, trying on and then changing her outfit over and over until she realized she only had thirty minutes to make it to the restaurant and find parking so she settled on a pair of black Levis with a cream leather belt, a soft, black, v-neck t-shirt, which showed a tiny bit of cleavage, and a cream leather jacket that hugged her narrow waist. Her thick, blonde hair was down and loosely curled, and she'd added some light makeup and perfume.

The blonde quickly slipped into her boots and grabbed her wallet, keys and phone and headed for the door, but she remembered the boxes of medals at the last minute and went back for them. She still wasn't sure if she'd bring them into the restaurant but they'd be ok in the trunk of her car if she chickened out.

She'd arranged to meet Cat and Carter at seven and at ten 'til, she pulled into the parking lot and found a parking space. Kara sat there for a moment, debating with herself about the medals and finally, she shoved the boxes into her purse. She'd brought one of each color to show Carter. Kara suddenly realized that Cat and Carter had arrived and were by the door, so she got out of the car and walked toward them. Cat spotted her quickly and a wide smile spread across her face. She saw the older woman gently elbow her son and say something and Carter's face also turned into a smile.

"Hey," Kara said softly as she reached them. "Right on time." She wasn't sure how to act in front of Carter so she decided to let Cat lead. Her girlfriend moved closer and put her hands on Kara's hips as she leaned up to kiss her.

"Hi, Darling," Cat replied. "You look incredible." Then she moved back to Carter and put her hand on his shoulder. "Kara, this is Carter. Carter, Kara Danvers."

"Hi, Carter. It's really great to meet you," Kara said, stretching out a hand.

"Um… hi." Nothing much else came out of Carter's mouth but he slowly took her hand and squeezed it gently. Kara frowned and looked at her girlfriend, who was trying to cover a grin.

"So," Cat said. "Let's get inside. I need a cosmo." She laced her fingers with Kara's and tugged her along gently with Carter trailing a little behind, still looking shell-shocked.

"Is there something wrong?" the younger woman whispered. "I only said one sentence to him. Does he hate me already?"

"No. On the contrary." Cat whispered back and chortled softly. "I think you just have another admirer."

The host showed them to a booth, Cat and Kara on one side and Carter on the other. He advised them that their server would be there shortly. When he left, Kara tried again. "So, it must be great to be back home with your Mom, Carter, huh?"

The young man nodded. "Yeah, I had fun with my Dad but I always miss my Mom." He blushed a little then. "It's really nice to meet you, Kara. Mom talks about you all the time and it's nice to put a face with the name."

"She does, huh?" The younger blonde replied, looking at the sheepishly smiling Cat. "Well, I talk about her all the time too so I guess we're just a couple of saps."

"Mom tells me you're an Olympic swimmer?"

"Retired now but yes, I was. Three times." Kara smiled. She took a deep breath and reached into her bag, taking out three black, felt boxes and placing them on the table near him. "Your Mom said you might be interested in seeing these?"

"Are these…? Wow," Carter replied. "Can I open them?"

Kara shrugged. "Sure, whenever you want."

Slowly and carefully, the young man opened the first box on top. Kara had stacked them in order and the first one was the bronze. "It's so pretty," he said in wonder.

"That was the first one I ever won," Kara explained, softly. "It was for the four hundred meter freestyle when I was thirteen and I barely scraped it. The girl in third place had to pull out at the last minute."

Carter closed the box and opened the second one which was a silver. "It's shiny!"

"That was the first one I won at my second Olympics when I was seventeen. Two hundred meter breast stroke."

Carter ran his fingertips reverently over the engraving and then closed the box to open the third. His eyes widened. "A gold!"

"Yep. I won that one at my last Olympics for the eight hundred meter freestyle. I won a hundred meter butterfly and a Team USA relay too."

"Epic!" Carter replied. "That is so cool." He paused then scrunching up his face. "Why did you retire? You're only twenty-five, right?"

Kara glanced at Cat, who squeezed her thigh under the table. "I was tired," she replied. "I'd been training most of my life and I just decided to not compete anymore. So I came home and started a business with my best friend. That's where I met your Mom." She held Cat's hand on top of the table and smiled. "Best day of my life."

"Kara is a swimming instructor now," Cat added. "She's teaching me how to swim."

"What happened to your hand?" Carter asked, pointing at the blonde's brace.

"I banged it," Kara said quickly. "I'm clumsy like that sometimes. I don't have to wear it for much longer though. Almost healed."

Their server arrived and took their drink orders. The restaurant was busy and Kara relaxed a little feeling that this first meeting with Cat's son was going very well. "What else do you like to do?" Carter asked. "Mom likes to read and write."

"And cook," Kara added with a smile. "She;'s cooked for me a couple of times. I love to read when I can find the time. I work a lot of hours. Well, I did before I had you two in my life. I'm going to try to cut back a bit."

"So you can spend more time with my Mom?" Carter asked.

Kara leaned forward and touched his arm. "Well, I was kinda hoping to get to know you better too. Cat told me you beat her butt at Mario Kart last night. I might give you more of a run for your money." She winked conspiratorially.

"Hey," Cat interjected. "I'm sitting right here, you know!"

"Sorry, Honey," the younger blonde replied contritely, an adorable frown appearing on her face. Cat had a sudden, overwhelming urge to kiss her senseless but she managed to just peck her lips instead.

Their drinks arrived and they gave their food order. Cat was looking forward to her burger. Kara had gone with fajitas and Carter, the rib sampler.

"Where are you from?" Carter asked Kara as he sipped on his Coke. "National City?"

"No, actually." Kara stirred her frozen margarita with her straw. "My sister and I grew up in Midvale, up the coast a bit. Small town girls who moved to the big city. Alex is a doctor at National City General."

"Cool," Carter replied. Then he looked her right in the eye. "So, what are your intentions towards my mother?"

Cat sat forward. "Carter!" she scolded, but Kara put her hand on her girlfriend's to stop her.

"He has a right to ask," she said gently. "Besides, you'll probably get the third degree from Alex too." Then she looked at the young man, who hadn't backed down. "My intention is to love her," she said simply. "For as long as she'll let me." Cat swallowed and looked down as Kara continued. "I only met your Mom nine days ago, Carter, but she pretty much swept me off my feet." She grinned. "That's the truth."

The young man nodded as the food arrived and was quiet for a while as he picked his ribs apart and ate. "So, are you dating anyone?" Kara asked as she filled a tortilla with her fajita mix.

"Not yet," Carter replied. "I'm only turning fifteen tomorrow. I'm not allowed to date."

"I see," the younger blonde said with pursed lips. "You're a handsome guy. You definitely won't have any trouble finding a date, right, Cat?"

"You're asking that of the woman who wants him to be her little boy forever?" Cat laughed. "But yes, you're right, Darling."

Carter blushed again and dug back into his dinner. Cat looked at Kara and winked. It seemed like her son was smitten with the gorgeous blonde, not that she'd doubted for a second that Carter would like Kara. But this was going even better than she thought. Kara seemed at ease and so did Carter. So far, everything was going perfectly.


	21. Chapter 21

Drowning Chapter Twenty-One

The two women are going crazy waiting for each other.

So this chapter will up the rating to mature since it has lots of scenes of sexual contact between two women. YAY!

* * *

"Thanks for tonight. I had a really great time," Kara said as the trio reached her car. After dinner, they'd walked to a nearby arcade, where she and Carter had played video games together while Cat had watched with joyful eyes. Then she and Cat had played air hockey against each other. The older woman had won every game. She had a wicked eye and awesome aim. It was almost midnight now and she was sorry that they had to end the evening.

"I had a great time too, Kara," Carter replied. "When will I see you again? Do we have plans, Mom?"

"Soon," Cat said with a smile. "Maybe this weekend?" She lifted an eyebrow at Kara who grinned and nodded. "I'm thinking Chinese and a movie at our house."

"Great, see you then, Kara," the young man went on. Then he smiled. "I'll wait at the car while you two say goodnight."

"Thanks, Sweetheart," Cat said softly. She handed him the keys. "Let yourself in."

Carter headed for the car and Kara leaned back against hers, smiling. "Well, that went exceptionally well."

The CEO moved closer and put her arms around her girlfriend's neck, pressing against her as Kara's arms closed around her waist. "I never doubted you two would get along but, I think you won him over with the medals." She paused then, pursing her lips. "Actually… I think you won him over the second you said hello." She laughed delightedly. "His face when you swaggered up, all sexy in this outfit. I thought he was going to swallow his tongue."

Kara blushed and shook her head. "I'm pretty sure there was no swagger and I wasn't going for sexy," she replied.

"Then you missed the mark cos you look sexy as hell."

"Oh," the younger blonde said softly, recognizing the desire in her girlfriend's eyes.

"Just so you know," Cat added, conspiratorially. "If Carter wasn't sitting in the car, I'd be doing a lot more than this right now." She bit her bottom lip and then ran her tongue across them.

Kara swallowed. "What would you be doing?"

Cat kissed her lips gently. "Kissing you senseless." She kissed her again. "Touching you until you begged for more." Another kiss. "Trying desperately not to undress you right here…"

Kara's legs felt a little unsteady and she was glad to have the car to lean against. "You're killing me," she whispered.

Cat shifted slightly and pressed her thigh between her girlfriend's legs, watching as Kara's eyes slowly closed and she took a deep breath. "Am I?"

And suddenly, she was spun around and pressed up against the car with Kara's lips on hers, hard and wanting. The kiss only lasted a few moments but they were both breathing heavily when Kara pulled back with difficulty and stroked her cheek. "Go home," she whispered roughly. "Before I do something Carter can't unsee."

Cat nodded and straightened, patting her girlfriend on the chest and then smoothing down her shirt as she looked up into her eyes. "I love you."

Kara kissed her forehead. "I love you too." She stepped away quickly and got into her car, watching in the rear view mirror as Cat made her way to hers. Then she closed her eyes and tilted her head back against the headrest, blowing out a long breath. "I'm not sure I'm going to actually survive that woman," she murmured. Then her phone dinged and she pulled it out of her pocket to look at the screen.

 _I want you so much right now_.

Kara groaned and tapped out her reply. _I know how you feel_.

Xx

Cat was at _Breathe_. She'd booked in for a manicure, pedicure and eyebrow wax, followed by a massage. She made a side note to have Kiera cancel Arabella. The massage had almost put her to sleep and she'd been so relaxed that she'd barely been able to lift her head after it. After she'd dressed, she walked slowly down the corridor to the reception area to settle her account. She hadn't planned on necessarily seeing Kara but the instructor was there and smiled as she arrived at the reception desk. "Miss Grant," she said. "So good to see you."

"Miss Danvers," Cat replied. "We need to get another swimming lesson on the schedule, now that you're back."

Kara's smile broadened. "Would you like to come to my office and take a look at the schedule right now?"

Cat eyebrow quirked. "Yes, that'd be perfect."

"Follow me," the younger blonde replied. "My office is this way."

Cat followed Kara down another corridor to an open door and inside the room. She closed the door behind her and then she was pushed back against it as intense blue eyes moved over her face. There was silence in the room except for their labored breathing. The younger woman was trembling, her hands moving restlessly at the bottom of Cat's t-shirt and then they were under it, on Cat's skin, exploring the firm muscle and softness she found there. She pressed her forehead against her girlfriend's as her breathing grew shallower. Cat groaned and barely-brushed their lips together, then she licked at Kara's lips, causing her to gasp and tighten her grip on Cat's sides. Kara's hands moved higher over the older woman's ribs, thumbs tracing her centerline until they reached Cat's breasts to cup them and squeeze gently.

Cat sighed and covered Kara's hands with her own, encouraging her as she caught her girlfriend's bottom lip between her teeth and tugged gently. Then Kara's thigh was suddenly pressing between her legs and her hips moved forward of their own accord, wanting more pressure. "I want you to make love to me," she whispered, urgently. "More than anything. But do you really want our first time to be here?"

Kara whimpered and pressed her forehead into the crook of Cat's shoulder. "No," she whispered back. "Not here."

Cat's fingers threaded through her girlfriend's hair and caressed the back of her neck. "I can come to your apartment tonight. Martina will stay with Carter."

Kara let her arms slide around Cat's waist and she hugged her. "Ok, please," she replied with a smile.

But Cat's face was serious. "Darling, are you really sure?"

"Yeah." Kara kissed her gently. "I'm more than sure."

"Good." Cat chuckled then, gently pushed her girlfriend away and straightened her shirt. "Might as well schedule that swimming lesson while we're here."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Xx

Alex flopped into her chair and opened the lid of her laptop to start her annual staff reviews. It was quite possibly the thing she hated doing the most, but it was part of her job and she took it seriously. She was half-way through the first one when her phone rang and she glanced at it to see Kara's smiling face on the screen. "Hey, Kar."

 _Alex, I'm freaking out. Can you talk?_

The doctor sat forward in her chair, concerned. "I can talk. What's wrong?"

 _It's tonight, Alex. Cat's staying the night and I'm freaking out._

"Whoa, whoa, slow down. What do you mean it's tonight?" Alex picked up a pen and twirled it in her fingers as a deep sigh echoed down the phone line.

 _Shit, Alex. We almost just had sex in my office but we stopped because neither of us wanted our first time to be on a damn desk._

"Ok, go on…"

 _Then Cat said she'd come over tonight to my apartment as long as I was sure I was ready._

"Kudos to Cat," Alex said with a grin. "I'm sorry, Kara. I'm not seeing the problem. Is it that you're really not ready? I mean, Cat will understand if you're not."

 _No, no that's not it. I'm SOOOOO freakin' ready, I'm about to combust. It's just…_

Alex waited. She knew Kara would get there.

 _It's been so long. What if I suck?_

Ah. Alex relaxed back in her chair and and crossed her legs. "Sweetie, I'm really not joking when I say this. It's going to come back to you. Each partner is different but the parts pretty much work the same. And you know the parts. You just need to take your time to learn what Cat likes. No one expects their first time with a new partner to be perfect. The imperfection in itself is part of the fun."

She waited to let that sink in.

 _I guess you're right._

"Kara, are you scared?" Alex asked seriously. "I know this is a huge step for you and most likely for her too."

 _I'm not scared of having sex with her. I'm scared of disappointing her._

"Do you love each other, Kid?"

 _Yeah. We do._

"Then you won't let each other down if you're together."

Quiet sniffles came down the line. _Thanks, Alex._

"Any time. I'm here for you. I need to get back to work but I'll call you tomorrow to hear how everything went."

 _Ok. Bye, Alex._

Kara hung up and Alex closed her eyes, quietly proud of her younger sister's strength. Then she smiled to herself and went back to her reviews.

Xx

 _What time are you coming over?_

 _Whenever you tell me to ;-)_

 _Right now._

 _30 minutes._

Xx

Kara was giving her reflection one last look when the buzzer from her security phone went off.

"Hi, Tom."

"Miss Danvers, Miss Grant has arrived. I'm sending her up."

"Cool. Thanks, Tom." Kara hung up the phone and went to the door to open it. Cat was just getting out of the elevator and she waited as the older woman sashayed down the hallway, leaning against the doorframe with her ankles crossed and twirling a single red rose in her fingers.

"Hi," Cat said softly as she reached the door, appreciating the silk camisole shirt and shorts her girlfriend was wearing as she accepted the rose from her. "Thank you, Darling. It's beautiful." Then she rubbed the material between her fingers. "Wow, this is nice."

Kara kissed her and then gently tugged her hand to bring her inside. "Thanks. Glass of wine?"

Cat smiled. "Yes, please. Red if you have it."

"I do." The younger blonde headed to the kitchen while Cat slipped off her shoes and relaxed in the large double window seat, looking out over the lights of National City as she brought the bloom to her nose. With the darkness of the room, the stars were even visible "This is my favorite spot too," Kara said as she gave Cat her glass. "Sit forward a little please. Let me hold you?"

Cat happily complied and she sighed with pleasure as Kara slid in behind her to hug her tightly. "My mother told me I'd never have someone like you," Cat said softly. "She said I'm too difficult and my standards are way too high." She lowered her tone and pitch. "Now Kitty, if you'd just let people in, you'd have found a nice man by now and you'd finally be settled down."

Kara giggled a bit at the impression and kissed Cat's temple.

"But what my mother fails to understand is that my standards are high for a reason. I was tired of the nice aka boring ones. And the last time someone left me completely unfulfilled, I promised myself that I'd wait. Kara, I was waiting for this feeling." She took her girlfriend's hand and pressed it over her heart. "I was waiting for exceptional."

"Wow," Kara breathed. "Thank you for sharing that." Then she was quiet for a few moments before she finally got her words out. "For the past four years, I've locked my heart and desire away in a secret place inside me that no one could touch. No one has ever even come close to getting in. But you. You walked straight through the walls like they weren't even there."

"Does that scare you?" the older woman asked.

"Yes," Kara admitted. "But in a totally good-scared way. Like that moment just before you kiss someone for the first time type of scared."

Cat chuckled. "I get it." She sipped her wine as she absently traced the back of Kara's hand with her fingertips. "You know, Carter hasn't stopped talking about you."

"He's a really great kid," the younger blonde replied. "I had so much fun with him. He looks a lot like you, you know?"

"Yeah," Cat smiled. "More like me than his father. Which I'm sure irks Chris to no end. Our relationship didn't end on very good terms." She sighed softly as Kara's lips grazed up and down her neck. "You can stop doing that any time… tomorrow," she joked.

Kara hummed softly and moved the older blonde's hair to one side so she could have better access to her skin and this time Cat sucked in a surprised breath as teeth gently nibbled her. "It's ok," Kara whispered. "I remember what you said about no marks."

Then Kara took the wine glass and rose out of Cat's hand and set them both on the small table near her along with her own wine glass. "I'm nervous," she said softly as she started to very slowly open the buttons on her girlfriend's blouse. Then she slipped the material off Cat's shoulders and blazed a path with her lips from her left shoulder, across the back of her neck to her right shoulder.

Cat was trembling and at a gentle nudge, she leaned forward to allow Kara access to her bra closure. "We're together, Darling," she murmured as the hooks opened and the garment fell away from her chest. "That's what's important." She sighed then as her girlfriend palmed her breasts, igniting a fire of desire in her, even stronger than earlier in the day. It drove her forward and she got up, quickly turning around to straddle Kara's lap and kiss her hard. She sucked her girlfriend's bottom lip and let it go with a pop, making the younger woman giggle softly. "Off," she commanded. Kara raised her arms and Cat lifted the warm silk off over her head to find that she was naked underneath.

They kissed slowly and deeply, hands and tongues exploring, teeth nipping sensitive parts of each other, thumbs and mouths teasing hardened peaks, and ridges and valleys of taut muscles.

And then Cat's hand moved between Kara's legs to lightly brush her through her silk shorts. The younger woman groaned and lifted her hips, seeking a firmer touch. Cat scooted her down on the pillows and slowly peeled the material over Kara's hips and down her long legs to sweep them off her feet revealing the full length of her nakedness for the first time. "You are so beautiful, Kara."

"Please," Kara replied softly. "Let me see you too?"

Cat nodded and got up and removed the last of her clothes, laughing softly as Kara pulled her back down on top of her. The delicious friction of skin on skin made them both moan and Kara's hands explored all over Cat's body as they kissed languidly.

"Kara," Cat whispered. "Is… is there anything I shouldn't…" She trailed off as the younger woman's mouth found her breasts again and lavished attention on her nipples.

'Just touch me," Kara replied, her blue eyes heavy with arousal. "I need you."

Then Cat's fingers were slowly entering her and her head fell back, lips slightly parted as pleasure coursed through her. She groaned loudly as Cat's fingers filled her and then paused, stretching her deliciously. "Is that ok?" Cat asked gently. "I'm not hurting you?"

"God, no," the other woman replied. She wrapped her arms around cat's neck and kissed her deeply, tongue thrusting as she pushed her hips up harder, establishing the rhythm that she needed. "Harder," she groaned. "Please, Cat."

"I love you," Cat moaned as she increased her pace and sharpened her thrusts. She bit down on Kara's neck and sucked hard, no longer caring about marks. She wanted this amazing woman to be hers, and hers alone.

Kara's head slammed back into the cushions and her back arched as her orgasm hit, hard and intense, taking her by surprise and driving a joyous cry from her throat as her body shuddered through the pleasure.

And Cat held her, coaxing every last ounce of that pleasure out of her until finally, Kara relaxed, a happy smile sitting squarely on her face as her breathing slowly returned to normal. Cat rolled them onto their sides and they snuggled together as she stroked Kara's hair back from her face. "Are you ok?" she asked quietly, concerned to see tears welling in the blue eyes she'd fallen in love with.

"Sorry," Kara chuckled, as she wiped at her eyes. "Yeah, I'm great. It's just…wow…"

Cat smiled. "Good. Wow was what I was going for."

Kara just grinned.


	22. Chapter 22

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Two

Hmmm... that random security guard... who is he?

Happy Memorial Day to those who celebrate it and if not, happy Monday!

* * *

Cat closed her eyes and relaxed as Kara's fingertips glided slowly up and down her thigh. They were a tangle of arms and legs in the large window seat, trading kisses and touches and slowly exploring each other. Kara moved on top of Cat and kissed across her collar bones, pausing half way to nibble the hollow of her throat. "You taste so good," she said softly, making Cat grin. "Good enough to eat."

"Oh yeah?" Cat replied as Kara's lips moved lower to slowly explore her breasts. It was deliciously, torturously slow and Cat felt like every one of her nerve endings was firing simultaneously. It was as if Kara's hands and lips and tongue were everywhere at once and she sucked in a deep breath of pleasure when her girlfriend's fingertips returned to her thighs, gently easing them apart so she could lie between them.

Cat couldn't help it. Her hips lifted and she pushed her most intimate center hard up into Kara's stomach. The younger woman groaned as she felt the heat and wetness against her skin and kissed Cat deeply, sighing as the older woman's hands grasped her hair. "Kara, please," Cat whispered intensely and Kara nodded, understanding that her lover didn't want to wait any longer.

She slid lower, kissing down her girlfriend's stomach and she eased Cat's thighs further apart, lifting one over her shoulder as she started a gentle exploration with her lips and tongue. Cat's head fell back onto the cushions and she whimpered quietly, holding the back of Kara's head and stroking her hair as the younger woman feasted on Cat's core.

Then Kara turned slightly onto her side and pushed two fingers deeply and firmly inside her lover, grinning when Cat cursed loudly and her hips lifted right off the cushions. Kara wanted Cat to climax. She wanted it more than anything right at that moment. She wanted to see the look on Cat's face and hear her cries of ecstasy. So she pushed deeper inside and curled her fingers each time she withdrew, as she pinched Cat's most sensitive bundle of nerves between her lips and sucked gently.

Cat's hands grasped her hair again almost painfully and her chest heaved as she fought to draw air into her lungs with ragged breaths. "Don't… stop… please…" she gasped. "Fuck, Kara…"

Blue eyes lifted to meet green and two souls connected as Cat's climax hit her like a thundering wave, shattering her and reforming her at the same time, and dragging a hoarse cry from her. She slammed her eyes shut, colors and lights exploding behind her lids, and her body shuddered hard as Kara's tongue and fingers continued to guide her, slowing and softening and easing her back to earth.

"Kara," she said weakly and her lover lifted her head and beamed a radiant smile at her. "Come here, Darling." She opened her arms and Kara moved up into them.

"That was epic," the younger woman said, awestruck. "Thank you for letting me do that."

Cat laughed incredulously. "You're thanking me for letting you give me the most incredible orgasm of my life? Only you could be so selfless, Kara."

They relaxed together for a while until Cat shivered a little and pressed closer to her lover. "Cold?" Kara asked, feeling the goosebumps on Cat's skin..

"A little. Sorry about getting your window seat so sweaty," Cat commented with a little smirk.

"I'm not," the younger woman replied. "Let's take this somewhere warmer."

Kara moved out of the seat and helped Cat up. Then she picked up the two glasses of wine by their stems and took Cat's hand, leading her into the huge master bedroom. Kara set the glasses on the bedside tables and pulled back the bedcovers. Then she climbed in and lay on her back to welcome her lover into her arms. Cat snuggled against her and Kara covered them both with the sheets and a light blanket.

"Kara, can I ask you something?" Cat said after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"You can ask me anything," the younger woman replied. "No secrets."

"Have you been in love before?"

"Ahhh… that's an easy question to answer," Kara smiled. "No, I've never been in love before now. Well, nothing that felt like what I feel for you." She stroked Cat's cheek. "There's only you. But there were a couple of others who were special."

"Andrea?" Cat asked softly.

"Yeah," Kara said on an exhaled breath. "Andrea was someone special to me."

When she didn't volunteer any more information, Cat smiled. "Did she break your heart? Is that why you don't want to talk about her?"

The younger woman stayed quiet for a moment as she thought about that. "I wasn't stupid," she said. "I knew she was straight." She shook her head a little. "Well, maybe I was stupid. She was my best friend and, when I told her that I wanted more, she pulled back from me. We'd been so close and it just… ruined it. I haven't spoken to her in a long time." She kissed Cat's temple. "How about you?"

"My first husband," Cat replied. "I loved him very much but he cheated on me. I was working my ass off to build CatCo and he was sleeping with his secretary. He didn't even try to hide it. He just came home one night, told me he loved her more than he loved me and packed his bags."

"I'm sorry, Cat," Kara replied. "That must have been so hard."

"It was and I haven't loved anyone else I've been with… until now," the CEO went on. "My second marriage was a mistake from day one. Adam's and Carter's fathers were both just diversions but they gave me my children so I'll always be grateful to them." She sighed. "Kara, the way I've felt about other people doesn't even come close to how I feel about you."

"That makes me feel kinda powerful," Kara replied. "Is that bad?"

"No, of course not," Cat chuckled. "Being something important to someone is… it's everything." She kissed Kara gently. "When I see how much you care for me in your eyes, it makes me feel that way too. You're young and beautiful and smart, and you could have anyone you want… but you chose me."

They lay together, each woman thinking about what had happened between them. How so much had occurred over such a small amount of time. Then Cat rolled over and grabbed her glass of wine from the bedside table. She took a sip and pulled down the covers to pour some into Kara's navel. The younger woman shivered and laughed softly as Cat's tongue followed. "Mmmm… tastes better on your skin," the older woman commented. "Maybe some whipped cream next time."

"What else do you like?" Kara asked, as she ran her fingers through her lover's hair.

"Melted dark chocolate, strawberries and whip. I'm thinking about making a Kara sundae," Cat joked.

"You forgot the cherry," the younger woman replied as she rolled them over. She pinned Cat's arms above her head as she ducked down to kiss her neck and down her chest to her breasts. "And the caramel…" She nibbled Cat's navel, loving how the muscles contracted in reflex.

"Fudge," Cat reminded her with a grin.

"Right, we certainly can't forget that…"

And with that, Kara went straight in for dessert.

Xx

Kara's alarm went off at five and she slammed her hand down on it to silence it before it woke Cat. She was tired and her body was aching in a good way after their long night of lovemaking so she reset her alarm for seven and went back to sleep.

Xx

"Coffee, Honey?" Kara called as she heard the shower stop.

"Please," Cat called back as she toweled her body dry and turned to look in the mirror. She had a hickey on her shoulder and she shook her head and chuckled, thankful that her shirt would cover it. Then she grinned as she thought about the one she'd left on Kara's neck. That one would be harder to hide when her girlfriend had to wear a bathing suit. She felt guilty for a second and then shrugged. Oh well.

Once she was dressed and ready, she met Kara in the kitchen, sharing a kiss with her as she sat up on a stool at the island. The younger woman was going through a small stack of mail and making a junk pile to be thrown away. "So much crap," she muttered. "I swear they could save a ton of trees if they stopped sending out this stuff. No, I don't want another credit card and no, I don't need a personal loan for seventy-five thousand dollars. Sheesh."

Cat looked at her. The mark on her neck was suspiciously absent. "Either you heal super-fast or my hickey-making skills have gone downhill," she said with a frown.

Kara laughed. "Neither," she replied. "I just have a really good concealer. It's waterproof too."

Cat shook her head. "I'm not going to ask why you have concealer like that. Your skin is practically flawless so the only other reason I can think of is to conceal hickeys!"

"Actually, I got it a few weeks ago to cover the bruises on my neck from Max's first strangulation attempt." Kara chuckled. "But your jealousy is flattering."

"I wasn't jealous," Cat replied.

"Your face was turning green."

"No, it wasn't. That's just the reflection of my eyes."

"I love you."

Cat sighed as her gaze softened. "I love you too." She refreshed her coffee mug. "How are you this morning? Feeling ok?"

Kara nodded. "I feel great. I had no nightmares last night."

"Well, in fairness, we didn't sleep much either," Cat reminded her.

"True. Still, no nightmares is a plus for me either way."

"Yes, it is, Darling." Cat leaned in and kissed her girlfriend again. Then she touched her fingertips against the scar right by Kara's left eyebrow. "How did you get this scar?" she asked.

"Oh, that was the drunk swimming incident. A reminder for all time to not do that again."

"It's sexy," the older woman said waggling her brows.

"Cat?"

"Hmmm…?" Cat's fingers wandered down Kara's chest.

"I really have to go to work."

"Hmmm…" Cat agreed as her fingertips reached the swell of her lover's breasts and traced their fullness through the material of her tank top. "I know."

Kara swallowed. "So you really need to stop doing that or I'm going to have no choice but to carry you back to the bedroom."

A broad smile creased the older woman's face. "And that's bad for me how?" She stopped anyway though and went back to her coffee and muffin. "Sorry. I shouldn't tease you. I'm still on vacation. You're not. However…" She got up and drained her mug. "I do need to get home. Carter will be up and wondering where the hell I am."

"Give the kid a hug from me," Kara replied as she got up too and walked Cat to the door. She opened it and her girlfriend stepped out into the hallway, where they shared a lingering kiss.

But they were suddenly both startled by a flash and a voice calling out. "Cat? Cat! Is Kara Danvers your new girlfriend?"

There was a man in uniform with a camera standing only feet away from them in the hallway and Kara recognized him as the night security guard she'd seen before. She strode toward him her hand stretched out and shielding her face. "What the hell are you doing? You do NOT have permission to take photographs here. Get off this property before I call the police."

Cat sighed and shook her head. "Don't hit him, Darling," she called. "Your hand is only just healed."

"I can still kick him," Kara called back and the man scurried toward the elevator. The doors closed on him before the blonde could reach him though and she slammed her hands against them in frustration. "Motherfucker!"

Cat walked toward her and they met in the middle to exchange a hug. "Well… here we go. I have no idea where that photo will end up, but it had to happen sometime."

"I know," Kara replied with a shrug. "How do you want me to handle it?"

"However you see fit," Cat replied. "You can make a statement or you can go with no comment. It's completely your choice, My Love. I, on the other hand, will have to confirm it. I'm not going to make any further comment though."

"Why don't we just do an interview for CatCo magazine and give them the scoop, as it were, before the other outlets can muscle in," Kara suggested. "We're in this together, right?" When Cat smiled and nodded, she shrugged again. "Hello World, meet Kara Danvers… again."

Xx

Cat was sitting in the family room with Carter, working through a crossword as he blew something-or-other up in his video game on the big television.

"Hey Mom?" he said as another character's head exploded. "I didn't hear you come in last night."

"No? Well… I was very late. You were probably asleep," Cat replied.

"Mom, I'm almost fifteen. You don't have to hide stuff from me, you know." Carter paused the game and turned to look at her. "It's ok to say you were with Kara."

"How did you know I was with Kara?" Cat asked, surprised.

"I didn't… but I do now," the young man replied with an evil grin. "Besides, you've been in a really good mood all day and that only means one thing."

Cat shook her head. "I'm not sure I like the way this conversation is going," she stated, her cheeks tinted pink.

"It means you're happy, Mom, and I think it's because you love her."

"Oh," Cat replied, relieved. "Right. Yes, I'm definitely happy and yes, I do love her."

"You thought I was going to say it was because you had sex with her." There was that evil grin again. "I get it, Mom."

"We're not having this discussion," Cat warned. "No way."

Carter's face eased into a broad smile. "It's ok, Mom. I'm just really glad you found each other. I can see us being a family some day."

Cat's shock robbed her of any ability to reply to that and, instead, she just pulled her son into a hug as the emotion rolled through her, bringing tears to her eyes. Finally, she cleared her throat and pulled back to look at him. "Kara said you're a great kid," she whispered. "She was so right."

"Awww, she likes me?"

"Yeah, she really does."


	23. Chapter 23

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Three

A/N: just an interim piece to move us along…

* * *

 _Kara, it's Jane Stockwell. How are you doing?_

Kara straightened in her chair and cleared her throat. "Miss Stockwell. I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."

 _Well, we didn't want to waste any time. I wanted to let you know that our team has pulled together some paperwork on your case from four years ago and it's pretty damning. I think we have enough to finalize the extradition of these guys and get them over here for charges and trial._

"That's fantastic news!" Kara replied. She took a breath and closed her eyes. "What… what did the paperwork say," she asked.

 _It says that you went through hell, Kara. All of the victims did. I have a feeling that this is the tip of the iceberg though. The evidence we have is all from assaults on U.S. citizens. How much would you like to bet that there are other victims? Other athletes from other countries? Other women in general. These guys are animals and… I'm sorry. I'm in this pretty deeply. Regina and I both are._

"How long have you been partners?" Kara asked.

 _Professionally, eighteen years. Committed for fifteen. Legally married since the day after it became law. Speaking of partners, I saw online this morning that you and Miss Grant have been outed._

"Yeah," Kara replied. "They always seem to catch us kissing," she chuckled. "This is the second time. We're just going public now. No point in trying to keep a low profile anymore."

 _Well, if you two need some legal assistance with that, just ask. On the house._

"Thank you, Miss Stockwell."

 _Jane, please. I'll be back in touch with you in a few weeks, Kara. We're pressing forward with the case right away_.

They exchanged pleasantries and ended the call and Kara stretched her arms over her head to release some of the tension in her shoulders. She'd spent some time that morning in her office processing what had happened between her and Cat. It had been one of the most amazing nights of her life. Not that she was completely inexperienced but the strong feelings she had for Cat heightened their lovemaking to a new level for her. She grinned to herself. Spent some time processing? Couldn't stop thinking about it, more like.

And then there was waking up with Cat wrapped around her, which had led to more kissing and touching which had led to more… everything…

A big part of Kara wanted to jump up and down in glee. Instead, she texted Alex.

 _Hey, free for lunch?_

 _Looks like I have a 1pm slot. Will that work?_

 _1.30 at the hospital cafeteria? I have a client til 1._

 _1.30 k!_

Xx

Cat was sitting behind her desk at CatCo muttering under her breath about the unacceptable level of incompetency she had to endure. She was still on vacation (Damnit!) but she'd been called in for an unexpected crisis. Namely, 'Cat's Personal Life'.

"No, no no!" she exclaimed, taking herself off mute. "Gentlemen, I don't understand why all of your collective shorts are in a knot. It's a couple of photos in a rag of a newspaper. What's the big deal?"

The chairman of the board spoke up. _Cat, this is more than just a couple of photos. This is the face of CatCo flaunting a relationship with a woman who's much younger than she is. AND a nobody essentially. You don't see us with our faces splashed in the news for kissing young girls!_

Cat closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Robert, firstly, that face is the owner of CatCo and your boss. Secondly, Kara Danvers may be young but she's certainly not a nobody. She's a former three-time Olympic athlete and a successful businesswoman. BUT, even if she wasn't, she'd still deserve more respect than you're obviously showing her right now."

 _Why, Cat? For being the most recent in the line of men and women you've bedded?_

"No, Robert," Cat replied, her voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "For loving a woman who is about three milliseconds away from firing you without an ounce of guilt. Hear me, Gentlemen. Kara will be in my life for as long as she wants to be so get used to it!" She hung up the call and stood up abruptly, slamming her chair into the wall behind her with so much force that it made the televisions mounted on it rattle. "KIERA!"

Her assistant scurried into the office, recognizing the tone for what it is. "Yes, Miss Grant?"

Cat pinched the bridge of her nose. "Get me a salad for lunch with a DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER on top."

Kiera winced, her brown eyes narrowing and she pushed a hand through her dark hair. Double cheeseburger days were definitely not good. "Yes, Miss Grant."

"And Kiera?" The young woman turned, her eyebrows lifted expectantly. "Thank you for the heads up this morning."

"You're welcome. When I'd received six voicemails from the chairman, I figured you really needed to know what was going on." She paused a moment and smiled a little. "I saw the photos, Miss Grant. Your girlfriend looks lovely."

Cat returned the smile. "She is," she replied simply. "Now, go get me that salad. Chop chop." She watched as her assistant trotted out of her office and then went to her bag to grab her iPhone and take it out onto her balcony. She took a seat on her sofa and dialed Kara's contact but a moment later, her voicemail played. Hearing her girlfriend's voice made Cat relax and smile. "Hi Darling. Just calling to check in. I ended up coming to the office today to deal with the board seeing our photograph in the Gazette. I sent Kiera out to get me a double cheeseburger for lunch. I think I gave her an oh shit moment. She knows how bad my day is if I'm asking for that." Cat chuckled in self-knowledge. "Well, call me if you get a chance later on. I love you."

The CEO slid her phone into the pocket of her tailored slacks and crossed her legs as she watched the clouds drifting across the sky. The call with the board hadn't taken her totally by surprise but she agreed with Kara. They needed to get ahead of everything, so she moved back into her office and dialed James' extension number. "Miss Grant," he answered. "I didn't know you'd be in today."

"Exactly why I'm calling you, James. I'd like you to get back to your roots and be the photographer on a piece I'm putting together on myself and Kara."

"Really?" James replied. "I'm intrigued. Who are you going to ask to write it?"

Cat glanced towards her assistant's desk. "I'm going to give Kiera an opportunity. With my supervision of course."

"Kiera… that's a little surprising," the man said but Cat could hear the smile in his voice. She knew he liked her assistant quite a bit and there was a rumor that they may actually be seeing each other.

"If she does well on this, there may be a reporter position in her future. She's an exceptional assistant but I can't hold her back forever, as much as I'd hate to lose her. She deserves more. I'll talk to Kara and let you and Kiera know when she's free."

"Ok, Miss Grant."

"And James, keep this to yourself for now. I'll tell Kiera when I'm ready."

"Got it."

Cat hung up the phone and leaned back in her chair. It's was time to start planning.

Xx

Alex's sandwich paused halfway to her mouth and her eyes widened. "All night?" she asked incredulously.

"Pretty much. And again, this morning," Kara replied with a laugh. "God, your face, Alex."

"Yeah, this..." Alex pointed at her own face. "...is called jealousy. Are you kidding me?"

Kara shrugged. "Deadly serious."

"And she's... what? Fifty?"

"Yup," the younger Danvers replied. Her eyes twinkled. "She's amazing."

"Christ." Alex took a big bite of her sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. "Seems like you two are just super-compatible. And you're feeling good about this?"

Kara leaned her chin on her hand and gazed at Alex, her eyes full of happiness. "I feel wonderful."

"Sap," the older Danvers replied teasingly but her face was as full of joy as Kara's. "I'm so, so happy for, you, Sweetie."

Kara nodded, her eyes filling with tears and robbing her of her voice and they met across the table for a hug.

Xx

Three pairs of sock covered feet were sitting on the coffee table. Cat looked up from her book and saw that to her left, her girlfriend was asleep while her son, on her right, was still engrossed in his movie.

It was Saturday night and the trio were spending a night in together. They'd had too much Chinese food for dinner, played board games and were now relaxing in front of the television after consuming a large amount of ice-cream.

Kara moved restlessly, a frown creasing her brow and Cat glanced at Carter, who wasn't paying attention to either of them, before snuggling against her and slowly rubbing her chest. Sleepy blue eyes blinked open and Kara smiled. "I fell asleep. I'm sorry."

"You must have needed it," Cat replied. She glanced at the mantel clock. It was after eleven. "We can go to bed if you want."

Kara's eyes immediately went to Carter. "Um... is that ok? I mean, maybe I shouldn't stay," she whispered nervously.

"Would it make you feel better if you slept in the spare room?" Cat asked seriously.

Kara's frown reappeared.

"I thought so. It's fine, Darling. He's not a child. He gets it."

"God," Carted muttered. "Stop worrying about the innocent child."

Kara got up, laughing softly. She dropped a quick kiss on his head and he looked up at her, grinning and blushing like crazy. "Goodnight, Carter."

"Night, Kara. Night. Mom."

Cat got her hug in and then led Kara by the hand to the stairs. "He really likes you," she said as they slowly climbed the steps. "He told me he could see us as a family some day."

Kara stopped walking abruptly, her eyes wide. "O…oh…" she stuttered softly. "I… wow…"

Cat went back to her, holding her gently by the shoulders. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot."

"Cat… I don't know if I can… I mean… he's amazing and I'm… I'm damaged and I don't want him to see that. I don't want to damage him." Her breathing had escalated and she put her hand on the bannister to steady herself as her vision suddenly skewed.

"Ok," Cat said gently, putting her arms around her girlfriend. "Listen to me. You're dealing with trauma. That doesn't mean that you're damaged. Trust me, I've known damaged people and you're not one of them."

"I love you so much and I'm scared of fucking this up," the younger woman whispered, letting her head rest on Cat's shoulder.

"Kara, as long we keep talking to each other, we're going to be ok. I want to know how you're feeling… always."

"Me too," the younger woman replied. "I want to be here for you and Carter."

Cat's face creased into a broad smile. "And you will, when you're ready. Give yourself some time, ok?"

She took Kara's hand again and they went into Cat's bedroom, closing the door behind them and undressing each other lovingly, trading kisses and teasing strokes of their fingertips and then Kara groaned deep in her chest and pressed Cat's naked body against the wall, quickly pushing inside her. It was hard and fast, her muscular thigh adding weight to her fingers as her lover's arms tightened around her neck and her hips bucked. Cat buried her face in Kara's shoulder, her cries of pleasure muffled to a kid-friendly volume. Her knees gave way and Kara caught her, scooping her up and carrying her to the bed where they just lay together breathing hard.

"No fair," Cat finally chuckled.

"Why?" Kara grinned.

"I had plans for you but I thought you might be too tired."

Kara chortled happily. "There's still time."

And Cat's grin was pure wickedness. "Oh yes… yes there is…"


	24. Chapter 24

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Four

Sunday morning. The sun was shining and the perfectly landscaped area around Cat's pool was sweetly fragrant with grass and flowers. Kara was in the pool with Carter, giving him pointers on his swimming technique, while Cat was sipping on a latte and writing a list of interview questions for their piece in CatCo magazine on a notepad.

Then she sighed and shook her head. No, if she was going to give the piece to Kiera, she shouldn't micromanage it. So instead, she picked up her phone and texted her assistant.

 _Kiera, good morning. I'd like you to interview myself and Kara and write a piece for CatCo magazine under my supervision. Please come up with a list of interview questions and we'll review them together on Tuesday morning. Enjoy the rest of your weekend._

She smiled to herself as she set her phone back on the table. She wished she could see the look on her assistant's face when she saw the text. The truth was, she was very fond of the young woman and wanted to see her do well.

"Mom?" Carter was standing at the wall of the pool looking up at her.

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

"Kara and I were talking about the zoo. Think we could go today?"

Cat locked eyes with her girlfriend who grinned and nodded back. "Sure," she said. "I don't see why not. Go get ready."

"Yes!" Carter pulled himself out of the pool and took off into the house, leaving a laughing Cat in his dust.

"He's so funny," the CEO chuckled. "He thinks he's all grown up but he's still this sweet kid at heart."

"That, he is," Kara replied as she toweled off and took a seat at the table. Cat poured her some coffee and passed her a croissant. "Thanks. So, did you get the questions done?"

"No, I decided to step back. I asked Kiera to write them and I'll review them with her on Tuesday. I'm going back to work tomorrow, I think."

"Tired of vacation?"

"This has been the best vacation ever," Cat grinned. "But I have to get back to real life. I just need to get my doctor to agree."

Kara sat forward, concerned. "Your doctor? Why?"

"Oh…" Cat pursed her lips. "I may not have mentioned that I'm on a… somewhat forced vacation. I was stressed and started having chest pains and shortness of breath."

"Jesus, Cat, no you did not mention that," Kara replied. "Is it bad? I mean, are you at risk for a heart attack?"

"Darling, I'm fine. It was just a little wake up call," the older woman reassured. "I'm not going to…" She waved a hand. "… keel over anytime soon."

"Ok," Kara nodded. "So, about our swimming lessons. If you're going back to work, do you want to just do them here a couple of evenings a week?"

"Sure," Cat replied amiably. "Whenever you can, is fine with me."

"Cool," The instructor got up. "Better go get ready for the zoo."

"Yeah," her girlfriend said, joining her for the walk into the house. "Family day out, right?" Kara blinked at her. Cat grinned. "I knew you'd be a natural." Kara stared at her, her lips parted. Cat laughed lightly. "C'mon, Carter will be waiting."

Xx

A shared shower and thirty minutes later, Cat and Kara came downstairs to find Carter sitting in the living room waiting for them. He was dressed in khaki shorts, a Superman t-shirt and had a backwards ball cap on his head. Kara thought he looked adorable and held out a hand for a fist bump. "Nice outfit, Dude. Ready to go?" He nodded enthusiastically. "Cool. Ready to go, Cat?"

"Yes, sure am."

"Ok, who's driving? Carter?" She pulled her keys out of her pocket and dangled them.

"Kara!" Cat laughed. She snatched the keys out of her girlfriend's hand and put them on the table. "I'm driving."

"YAY!" the younger woman grinned, winking at Carter. "What're we waiting for then?"

Cat threw her keys to her son. "Go on. We'll be right there." She turned to her girlfriend then and wrapped her arms around her neck. "You're in a great mood."

Kara kissed her forehead, nose and lips and squeezed her waist. "I'm happy. I love spending time with you and Carter. You know, I was thinking. I'd love you both to meet Alex. Maybe dinner at my place during the week."

"Sure… actually, speaking of during the week, there was something I wanted to talk to you about too. Nothing serious and it can wait for later."

"Ok," Kara agreed. "Let's go then."

Xx

Alex laughed out loud when she opened her text from Kara to see picture after picture of her sister and two people she assumed were Cat and Carter, in various selfie poses. "Awww, that's sweet," she murmured. The final text was an invitation to dinner on the coming Thursday at Kara's.

 _Absolutely! I can't wait to meet Cat and Carter. Let me know what to bring._

She shoved her phone back into the pocket of her white coat and headed for the E.R. for a consult. All she knew was that the patient was exhibiting out-of-character behavior and she'd been asked down to examine him. The resident expected her to order an MRI to rule out a brain tumor.

Alex arrived at the nurse's station. "Hey Briana, Dr. Jones paged me. Any idea where he is?"

The nurse smiled. "Curtain six, Dr. Danvers. He's with the patient you were paged to look at."

"Ok, thanks." Alex grinned and headed for the fully closed curtain, above which the number six was displayed. "Dr. Danvers coming in," she said as she slipped into the cubicle. "Hi I…" But she stopped dead in her tracks when she was confronted with a gun pointed right at her face. "Uh… ok. So we're doing this then?" she babbled nervously. To the gunman's right, Dr. Jones was standing with his hands raised. "Are you ok?" She asked him and he nodded a couple of times.

The man's hand was trembling and he waved the gun at her. "Shut up. I can't hear them when you talk!"

"What's your name?" Alex asked softly, her eyes focusing on his face rather than his revolver.

"Tim. But that's not my real name. They gave me my real name last week when I went out for milk." The man's eyes moved frantically around the cubical, as if looking for something.

"Can I call you Tim? I promise I won't make too much noise."

Tim nodded and the gun lowered a little. "But they won't let me talk to you if I can't see."

"My name is Alex, Tim. Are you having trouble seeing?" The man squinted a little and Alex got her answer. Her eyes went to Jones, who nodded slightly. "It seems like you need some help with your eyes. Will you let me help you?"

Tim raised the gun higher and Alex sucked in a breath. "No, they don't want you to help me. They want me to shoot you."

"But you don't want to shoot me, Tim, right?" The doctor looked at Jones and moved her eyes towards the curtain trying to give him the silent signal to slip out. "I'm a doctor and doctors help people. I think I can help you, Tim. If you let me?" Jones moved a step to his right. Tim didn't notice so he took another step.

"They don't trust doctors. They keep telling me to shoot you. But you're Alex and you like milk, right?"

Alex smiled gently. "Sure, I really like milk. And my sister does too. She likes milk maybe even more than I do. She's an athlete so milk is like her thing, you know?" Jones took another step. He was within touching distance of the curtain now.

"What kind of athlete?" Tim asked, tears starting to spill down his cheeks. "Football? Or snakes?"

"She's a swimmer actually," the doctor replied, noting that the gun had moved lower again. Distracting him seemed to be key. "She won some medals at the Olympics."

"Are you a god?" the man asked, running his hand through his hair.

Alex shook her head and grinned. "No, Sir. I'm just a plain old human called Alex." Jones slowly reached for the curtain but a sudden glint of light off his wedding ring caught Tim's attention and he lifted the gun again, confused. "Jones, go!" Alex said as she stepped toward Tim but then she felt an impact that took her breath away and knocked her to the cubicle floor. She was dazed for a second and then the pain hit and she gritted her teeth. "Shit." She looked up and realized Tim was standing over her. "Tim, don't, please," she said, her eyes steady on him.

The man lifted the gun again, curled his finger around the trigger and… Alex closed her eyes.

 _Goodbye, Kara. I love you and I'm sorry._


	25. Chapter 25

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Five

Didn't want to keep you all waiting for too long;-)

* * *

And then Jones turned and dove at Tim, knocking him to the side as Alex's right hand came up to protect her face. The gun skittered across the polished floor and out of the cubicle and, when she turned her head, Alex could see it on the floor yards away. She could also see blood on the floor…

Jones had Tim in a headlock and the younger doctor suddenly realized that he had some sort of training. _Military maybe?_ Her brain hazily tried supply logic to this whole thing. "Don't hurt him," she croaked out. "He doesn't know what he's doing."

"Just putting him to sleep," Jones replied grimly as the lack of oxygen finally made Tim pass out and slump onto the floor. Alex let out a breath as the doctor got on his knees next to her and pressed down on her shoulder. "Let's get this bleeding stopped, shall we?"

Alex nodded as the curtain was yanked back and a number of concerned faces, along with three security guards peered at her. "Danvers, shit. Are you ok?" Briana asked, she got to her knees and held Alex's hand, gazing down at her gently. "Hey, stay right here ok? Focus on me. Look at my eyes. I want to see those brown eyes, Alex."

"You have pretty green eyes," Alex murmured. She was feeling woozy and her vision was beginning to tunnel. "Briana, Tim… order him an MRI, k? His vision and mental state… it might be a tumor."

"Don't worry about that now," the nurse replied as she took a moment to watch the security guards strap Tim to his bed. Then she stroked Alex's hair back from her forehead. "Is there anyone you want me to call for you?"

Alex took her hand away to reach into her pocket awkwardly and pull out her phone. She unlocked it with her thumbprint and gave it to Briana who went right back to holding her hand again. "Kara," she said. "Call Kara."The nurse took a moment to write the number down on the back of her hand and then put Alex's phone in her own pocket for safe keeping.

"I've got her number, Alex. I'll call her as soon as we've determined the extent of your injuries, ok?"

Alex nodded as a gurney was rolled close to her. "Let's get you up on this gurney, Danvers, ok?" Jones said. "It's a through and through but we need to get you up to surgery." She nodded again smiling at her friend. "Too stubborn to die," she said softly as the meds they gave her made her feel like she was floating.

"Hellz yeah," Jones replied. "Alex, you were brave as hell, Dude."

A small smile touched her lips as she was lifted onto the gurney. "Runs in the family."

Xx

It was getting late in the day and the trio were wandering back toward the zoo's parking lot to head home. Kara was hungry though so she wrapped her arm around Cat's waist and guided her toward one of the Zoo's many restaurants. _The Nest_ was gorilla themed and Carter bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet. "I LOVE gorillas!"

"Me too," Cat smiled. "I've been keeping up with what Ellen Degeneres has been doing with her wildlife foundation."

"Me three," Kara added. "But right now I have a hole in my stomach that can only be filled by a gorilla sized snack!"

"Darling, you're always hungry," Cat teased, bumping hips with her girlfriend as they walked.

"Hey, I have a really fast metabolism and a lot of muscle," Kara defended.

"And I'm certainly not complaining about that," the older woman replied in _that_ tone that made Kara swallow and lean in for a quick kiss.

"Tsk," Carter interjected. "Get a room, you two."

Cat's head lowered, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter as Kara turned pink. "Hey," the instructor replied. "Just wait til you fall in love and get all sappy. I'll remind you of this day, my Friend!"

They reached the restaurant and Kara held the door open for Cat and Carter to pass through. It was an American diner style restaurant and she ginned excitedly to see foot-long hotdogs on the menu. They were just getting in line when Kara's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket, frowning at the screen when she didn't recognize the number. "Hello?... Yes, I'm Kara." The instructor looked at Cat and shrugged, moving away a little from the line of people. And then Cat watched as she collapsed to her knees with a white-knuckled grip on the phone pressed against her ear. The older woman went to her immediately, crouching next to her as Kara said thanks and hung up the call.

"What? What is it?" Cat asked urgently as Carter stood next to them, waiting worriedly.

Kara shook her head in disbelief. "I… I have to go…" Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "My… my sister's been shot. She's in surgery. I have to go."

Cat and Carter helped her to stand up. "Let's go," Cat said. "We can be there in thirty minutes."

Xx

Winn smiled happily as he videoed his husband and son feeding the ducks at the edge of the park's small lake. He had just turned off the recording when a text message popped up on the screen and his breath caught in his throat. The message was from Kara and he got up and ran to Paul.

"Paul," he said quietly. "Kara texted. It's Alex. She's been shot. Kara's on her way with Cat to the hospital now.

Paul's face blanched but he reached into his pocket and put their car keys into his husband's hands. "Go," he said. "Danny and I will take an Uber home."

"I love you,"Winn replied. He kissed Paul and then then the top of Danny's head. "I'll let you know the second I have more information."

"Go," Paul urged with a nod.

Xx

Dr. Fletcher, Chief of General surgery, tied off the last stitch and then double checked her work. Each stitch was as neat and precise as she could get and she nodded in satisfaction. "Let's get Dr. Danvers on IV antibiotics immediately," she said. She placed a fresh gauze bandage on Alex's entry and exit wounds and taped them down. Then she stepped back from the operating table and looked at the clock. "Procedure completed six-eighteen PM." Fletcher pulled off her gloves and dropped them into the medical waste bin. "That, there, is one lucky woman," she murmured, her Georgia accent coming forward. "The bullet passed right through her soft tissue."

Xx

Kara was rubbing her forehead and pacing. "A patient shot her?"she asked incredulously. "How the hell does that happen?!"

Briana nodded. "I really don't know exactly what happened, because the cubicle's curtain was closed. We heard a shot and then a gun was on the floor and so was Alex." Her eyes welled with tears. "I just stayed with her and held her hand while the others were treating her but from what I can gather, Dr. Jones took the patient down. He's a Navy veteran and put a sleeper hold on the guy."

"But she's ok?" Kara asked for the fifth time. "She's out of danger?"

Briana took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I care a great deal for your sister," she said softly. "And I won't tell you anything but the truth. She's out of surgery and resting comfortably."

"Will she recover the full use of her arm? Will there be permanent damage?" Cat asked softly.

Dr. Fletcher spoke up. "At this point, it's a little early to tell for sure, but the bullet passed through cleanly so there were no fragments to deal with. The surgery went exceptionally well."

"Thank you, Doctor," Kara said and she took a seat, letting out a long breath. The doctor squeezed her shoulder and then headed off to see her next patient.

Briana took a seat next to Kara. "If there's anything you need, let me know, ok?" She smiled then. "And as for Alex, she's getting the best possible care. I promise. I'll come get you as soon as she wakes up." She got up then and with a final smile, left them alone.

Cat wrapped her arms around Kara and the younger woman sank into the embrace, crying softly. "She's going to be ok, Darling." Carter was pacing nervously so Cat smiled at him. "Sweetheart, do you think you could go find a vending machine and get us some water?"

The young man nodded and disappeared down a nearby corridor.

"KARA!" the younger blonde lifted her head to see Winn running toward her and she left Cat's arms to get up and accept him into hers.

"It's ok," she whispered as he hugged her hard. "Alex is ok. She's out of surgery and doing great."

"Fuck," the man replied. "What the fuck happened, Kara?"

"A mentally challenged patient shot her in the shoulder. It's ok though. She's going to be fine."

They eased back from their embrace and Winn smiled at Cat. "Miss Grant," she said.

Cat got up and gave him a hug too. "It's Cat, Winn. I think we're all family here." Carter had come back with some bottled water and he was standing awkwardly nearby. Cat held out her hand to him and he came closer. "This is my son, Carter. Carter, this is Winn Schott. He's an Olympic Judo champion."

"Really?" Carter asked, amazed.

"Yeeeaahhhh," Winn replied with a smile as he stuck out his hand for Carter to shake. "Nice to meet you, Carter."

"You too, Sir," the young man replied respectfully. Cat was never prouder of him.

Kara chuckled. "He's going to want to see your medals so polish them up."

"Can I?" Carter asked excitedly.

Kara shrugged. "See?"

Winn nodded. "Sure. I'll bring them the next time we're meeting up. So Alex is out of surgery and it went ok?" he asked, taking a seat on the other side of Kara.

The younger woman nodded. "Yeah, it was a through and through, right through her soft tissue. She's not awake yet but the nurse said she'd come get us when she is."

Carter crouched in front of Kara and opened a bottle of water for her. "Drink something?" he asked. "It's hot in here. Are you still hungry? Can I get you something to eat?"

She smiled and took a few sips of the water before cupping his cheek and stroking it with her thumb. "You're so sweet," she replied. "Thank you, Carter, but I'm not hungry now." She looked at Cat then. "Your son is an amazing young man and a credit to you."

Cat had just opened her mouth to reply when Briana reappeared, holding out her arm to Kara. "Alex is awake. You can see her now. Just you, Kara, she's still very groggy."

Looking around her family and seeing the big smiles, Kara nodded and followed the nurse into the nearby room. Alex was propped up on pillows on the bed, her shoulder thick with bandages and her brown eyes blinking heavily. Her sister went straight to her, taking her hand and leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Hi, Alex," she said softly.

"Hi, Kid," Alex replied, her speech a little slurred. "Got myself shot. Sorry."

"I was so scared for you," the blonde replied. "But you're going to be ok."

"Yeah, the team here is awesome." The brown eyes looked to the nurse waiting near the door. "Have you met Briana?" A dopey grin spread across Alex's face. "She's really pretty." Her voice lowered to a loud whisper. "Do you think I should kiss her?"

Kara looked back at Briana, whose eyebrows were now in her hairline, but she was blushing slightly and smiling. "I think she might be ok with that," she loud-whispered back. "Does your shoulder hurt?"

"Nah," Alex shook her head. "I'm probably on enough drugs to fell an elephant."

"A dinosaur actually," Briana spoke up, making Alex laugh. "One of the REALLY big ones."

Alex held out her good hand. "'C'mere." Briana moved to the opposite side of the bed to Kara. "Can I kiss you now?"

Kara smiled and moved to the window. They were on a high floor and she could see the lights of the whole city. It was beautiful.

"I'd kinda like to wait til you're not under the influence," Briana told Alex with a little laugh. "But maybe this could tide you over." She leaned in and kissed Alex gently on the lips and then on the forehead. "We'll talk more later. You need to rest now, Danvers."

Kara moved back to the bed and kissed her sister's hand. "I'll be here first thing in the morning, ok? Now get some sleep."

"Ok," Alex agreed amiable. "See you tomorrow."

"I love you, Alex."

But the older Danvers was already sinking back into sleep and Kara pressed one more kiss to her forehead. They left the sleeping woman and Briana stopped Kara in the corridor. "I didn't mean to be unprofessional," she said. "I just… I…"

The younger Danvers sister shook her head and squeezed the nurse's shoulder. "I get it," she said simply. "It's easy to care about her."

Briana nodded and took a deep breath, releasing the tension inside her as she exhaled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kara."

"Bye, Briana."

Kara returned to her family and gathered them all into a big hug. "I spoke to her. She's ok. Groggy but ok. We can come back in the morning to see her again."

"Thank God," Cat and Winn replied at the same time.

"Let's get home, Darling," Cat added. "Stay with Carter and me tonight, ok?"

Kara nodded. "Yes… please," she replied, not wanting to go home alone. "Thanks for coming, Winn."

"Of course," the man replied. "Take as much time as you need Kara. Alex is going to need you."

"Thanks. I'll call you."

They all headed back to their respective cars and started the journey home.


	26. Chapter 26

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Six

Kara's having a hard time dealing with what happened to Alex and letting Cat be there for her when she's so used to dealing with things on her own.

This chapter was a struggle and I'm not totally happy with it but I have to stop re-writing some time and just be done with it!

* * *

Kara was quiet all the way home in the car, her eyes gazing unseeingly out the window. Cat parked in the driveway outside her garage and turned the engine off, then turned slightly in her seat as Carter got out of the car and headed into the house. Kara was completely withdrawn and she jumped when her girlfriend reached over to rub her thigh. Their eyes met for a long moment. "Sorry," Kara murmured, looking down and blowing out a long breath. "I'm still spinning on what happened."

"I know, Darling," Cat replied. "Things just seem to be happening so fast lately, don't they?"

Kara nodded, rubbing her forehead. "I'm tired. I just want to sleep."

Cat unclasped her seatbelt. "I'll give you some time to yourself. Let me know if there's anything you need."

But Kara's hand on her arm stopped her. "There is something I need," she said.

Cat's eyebrows lifted. "What is it?"

"A huge glass of wine and you holding me on the couch."

The older blonde smiled and nodded her agreement. "I think that can be arranged."

They got out of the car and went inside. Carter was nowhere to be found so they took their wine into the living room where they sat together on the couch. Kara didn't say a lot. She was feeling upset and overwhelmed but just being with Cat soothed her tired soul and before long, sent her off to a peaceful sleep.

Xx

It was only six-forty when Cat awoke the next morning to find that she was alone in bed. She put her hand on Kara's side and it was cold. Her girlfriend had been gone a while. She stretched and got up to use the bathroom and throw on a robe and, as she walked out onto her bedroom balcony, she was unsurprised to see Kara swimming laps in the pool. Cat took a shower and got dressed, letting the younger woman have the time she needed. It was an hour later when Kara came inside, wrapped in a towel with eyes red from crying, and took a seat at the island next to Cat. "Morning," she said quietly as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning," Cat replied with a smile. She held out her hand and Kara took it, lacing their fingers together. "What can I do, Darling?"

"Nothing really," the younger woman replied. "I'm going to see Alex and you have to go to work."

"The wonderful thing about being the owner of CatCo is that I can do whatever I like, whenever I like. If you'd like me to go to the hospital with you, I'll come."

But Kara shook her head. "I want to go alone," she replied. "I need to concentrate on Alex right now."

Cat nodded, hiding her disappointment. "I'll go to work then." She got up and went back upstairs to change into business attire, leaving her girlfriend sitting at the island.

"Shit," Kara murmured, slapping her forehead. "You're an idiot, Danvers." She followed her girlfriend upstairs and knocked on her bedroom door before sticking her head in. "Cat?"

"Hmm?" The CEO was shimmying into a cream, knee-length dress and she turned her back to Kara. "Do me up, would you, Darling?"

The younger woman moved across the room but instead of zipping the dress up, she put her hands on Cat's shoulders and trailed kisses across the back of her neck. "I'm sorry," she said and Cat turned to hug her tightly. "It's just been me and Alex for so long. Sometimes it's hard for me to… see past that."

"I understand," Cat smiled. "And I understand if you want to see Alex alone."

"Maybe, you could come with me and then go on to work afterwards?" the younger woman suggested, finally zipping the dress up.

"That would be great," Cat agreed. "I'll just stay a few minutes and say hello."

"Alex got kissed last night, you know," Kara chuckled. "Apparently, she's been crushing on that nurse we spoke to, Briana Crane. She was totally spaced out on pain killers last night and she asked if she could have a kiss."

Cat's eyes widened. "And Briana kissed her?"

"Just a little peck but yeah. I swear," Kara rolled her eyes. "My sister could seriously charm the birds off the damn trees. Seems like Briana really cares for her. Anyway, let me go take a shower. I'll be ready in twenty."

She disappeared into the bathroom and Cat headed back downstairs to find the matching heels for her dress.

Xx

"It's true what they say! Doctors seriously make the worst patients!" Nurse Crane said, her hands perched on her hips. "Just take the damn drugs, Alex."

"No, I don't like how I feel when I'm on them." Alex knew she was pouting, but it was her shoulder, dammit!

"What? Pain free?" Briana shot back.

"No… I… I embarrassed us both last night. I'm sorry."

The nurse's posture relaxed then and she smiled a little. "You're worried about taking the pain killers because of what happened last night?" she confirmed.

Alex looked out the window but nodded. "Yeah."

Briana moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed. "So now you're saying you didn't want me to kiss you?" she asked softly.

"Yes… I mean… No! No, I definitely wanted you to kiss me. I still do but… Brie… I feel like I didn't give you a choice."

The nurse chuckled and reached out, pushing Alex's hair behind her ear. "Do you really think I would do something I didn't want to do, Alex?"

"No?" the doctor said, her eyebrow lifting in question.

"Right. Now please. Take the meds. I can see how much pain you're in."

"Ok," Alex sighed, taking the pills and throwing them back, chased by a gulp of water.

"Thank you," the nurse smiled. "I'll be back to check on you in a while. Kara's waiting outside. I'll send her in."

Briana left on her rounds and a moment later, Kara arrived in, pulling a smiling Cat along by the hand. "Seducing nurses again, I see," she joked. She bent over and kissed her sister's cheek. "Charmer."

"I can't help it," Alex shrugged, then she gasped as her shoulder protested. "Shit. I have to stop doing that."

"Alex, this is Cat. Cat, my sister, Alex."

"Hey," Alex grinned. "I'd give you a hug but…"

"Shoulder," Cat finished for her. Instead, she squeezed her hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Shot," Alex replied with a chuckle. "But as well as can be expected. It's a real pleasure to meet you, Cat. It's been a long time since I've seen my sister so happy."

'Well, it works both ways," the older woman replied. "She makes me happy too."

Kara moved closer and kissed her girlfriend's temple, smiling lovingly. "So, what's the story, Alex?" she asked. "What happened yesterday?"

Alex explained what had happened as best she could but when she got to the part where Tim was standing over her, pointing the gun at her face, her voice cracked a little. "All I could think about was you, Kara, and how glad I was that you wouldn't be alone."

Kara's face crumpled into tears and she sat on the bed and leaned into her sister, hugging her gently. "I wouldn't survive if someone took you from me, Alex," she whispered. "Please don't ever leave me."

"You listen to me, Kara Danvers," Alex replied fiercely. "You're the strongest woman I've ever known and you'd go on without me. You'd be ok. Do you hear me?"

Kara sat up a little and nodded, wiping her eyes. "Let's not ever test that theory," she said softly.

"Agreed," Alex replied. "So yeah, totally embarrassed myself last night with Briana," she added, rolling her eyes and trying to lighten the mood.

"Seriously?" Kara laughed. "Dude, she's totally into you."

"She may like me but hell, Kara," Alex shook her head. "I was hardly my normal self."

"No, you were completely adorable," the younger blonde grinned. "And she thought so too. She likes you, Al. Don't mess this up!"

"I have to agree," Cat added with a smile. "Briana was very worried about you. At one point I thought we'd have to surgically remove her hand from yours."

"Really? Wow."

Cat chuckled. "Yes, really. And, on that note, I have to get to work. Media empires don't run themselves, you know," she said with a wink.

"It was great to finally meet you, Cat," Alex said with a wide smile. "I'm hoping, if I get out of this prison soon, I can still make dinner on Thursday night. I still have to meet this young man my sister's been gushing about."

"My son is looking forward to meeting you too. Be prepared for the bombardment of questions he'll have for you. See you soon, Alex. Kara, I'll call you later."

Kara got up and, holding Cat's hips, kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you. Have a good day."

"I love you too," Cat replied. "Later, Darling."

The older woman headed out and when she was gone, Alex fanned herself. "Damn, you weren't kidding that she's super-hot."

Kara grinned. "I know, right?" Her face turned serious then. "Now, how are you really feeling, Alex?"

The older Danvers sister's face dropped and she rubbed her nose. "Glad to be alive," she replied. "I really thought that I was going to die, Kar, and I would have, only Dr. jones saved my life. He took that guy down without a single thought. I think he's like an ex-SEAL or something like that."

"I want to get Dr. Jones a giant thank you gift," Kara said with a smile.

"You and me both," Alex nodded. "A super-huge, giant thank you damn gift!"


	27. Chapter 27

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Seven

A birthday party and a bit of a breakdown.

The ending of this chapter broke my heart a little. I love Kara so much and I hate to see her hurting but no one gets over trauma easily and we need to help her through it.

* * *

"Happy birthday!" Cat, Martina and Kara yelled together as a super-excited Carter came bounding into the kitchen, still in his pajamas. He hugged each woman in turn and sat up onto a stool at the island.

"Thanks! I can't believe that I'm fifteen now! Mom…" He glanced at Kara and back to his mother. "Can I date now?"

"Hmmm…" Cat replied. "That depends. Is there someone special that you'd like to date?"

"Naw…" Carter's cheeks reddened a little. "Well… maybe."

"I see." Cat raised an eyebrow at Martina who shrugged. "And will this special person be at your party this afternoon?"

The young man smiled at the housekeeper as she put his special birthday pancakes with extra chocolate chips in front of him. "Thanks, Martina. I invited her but I'm not sure if she'll come. She said her Mom might need her for chores this afternoon."

Cat looked at Kara, who looked impressed. "Wow, a young lady with a sense of responsibility. That sounds promising."

Kara snickered a little at the expression on Carter's face. "Your Mom wants you to date someone who knows the value of hard work, I think."

Cat nodded emphatically. "Of course I do. The things we have in life must be earned. No one will just hand you your dreams."

"Yes, Mom. I know," the young man said, rolling his eyes. "I'm going to be a billionaire's son who works at a fast food restaurant to put himself through college."

"Don't be so dramatic. You have a college tuition account, young man. But that doesn't mean you get to party it away," Cat said, kissing him on the head. "Now eat up. You have birthday gifts to open and a party to get ready for."

"I'll be right back," Kara said as she slid down from her stool. "I have something for the birthday boy too." She came back a few moments later with a wrapped box and put it down on the table with the rest of Carter's gifts. The young man grinned and finished his pancakes, washing it all down with some gulps of orange juice.

Martina laughed as she took his plate away. "And the winner of the fastest eaten breakfast ever competition… Carter Grant!" She ruffled his head and kissed his temple. "There's a little something from me on the table too. Happy Birthday, Honey."

"Thanks," Carter grinned. Then he looked at Cat. "Can I, Mom?"

"Go on," the older blonde replied, tilting her head toward the table. "Have at it."

The birthday boy sat down at the table and gazed around the stack of gifts. He chose them one by one, grinning happily as he found the gifts he had asked for along with ones he hadn't. He was thrilled when he opened the AirPods Cat had bought him to go along with his new iPhone and he flipped happily through the book on Aeronautical Science that Martina had left him. Then he came to Kara's gift and tore the paper off excitedly. When he saw what it was though, he sucked in a breath and looked over at her in shock. Kara smiled but said nothing while Cat moved closer to take a look.

It was a wood and glass gift box, in which was nestled Kara's bronze Olympic medal. He opened it reverently to look at it, finding a note inside which he unfolded and read out loud.

 _My dear Carter,_

 _This is the first Olympic medal I won and it inspired me to keep going, no matter how hard things were, how tired I felt or how much I wanted to give up. I hope that, if you ever feel any of those things, you can open this box and feel inspired too._

 _Happy birthday,_

 _Love, Kara._

Cat sucked in a breath and looked at her girlfriend, who was smiling sheepishly.

"Oh my God, Kara," Carter said, his eyes large with amazement. "Are you sure you want to give this to me? I mean, it's yours. You worked so hard for it."

"I want you to have it," Kara replied and she opened her arms as the young man ran to her and hugged her hard. "Thanks, Kara. I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back, her throat tight with emotion. She took a breath and swallowed. "There's a little something else too. Your Mom told me how much you enjoyed going to the men's spa with your Dad, so there's a lifetime membership to Breathe in there for you. You can bring a guest too."

"Cool!" Carter exclaimed. "I can bring anyone with me? Like for anything?"

"Anything you like," Kara confirmed. "Just promise me that you won't get any more piercings or tattoos until you're older." She winked at her girlfriend then. "You've got one too, Honey. I got Winn to switch your account over yesterday afternoon."

Cat went to her as Carter went back to the table to check out his new stuff. "Thank you, Darling," she murmured as she sat in Kara's lap and kissed her. "You didn't have to do any of this, you know."

"I know," Kara replied quietly. "But I really wanted to." She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and squeezed her. "It's what families do, right?"

"Right," Cat agreed, leaning her head against her girlfriend's and sighing happily.

Xx

It was late afternoon. Cat and Kara were relaxing in loungers near the edge of the pool while Carter and his friends splashed and laughed. They'd had pizza and cake and played video games before Cat had ushered them all out the door to get some sun and air. Carter had opened his gifts by the pool and then Kara had cited a very important family tradition… and pushed him in, laughing as he came back to the surface, coughing and grinning good-naturedly at her.

Then she'd joined Cat for a glass of wine, bobbing her head to the music Carter had chosen to stream from his new iPhone to the patio sound system, and singing along. "You have an amazing voice," Cat commented.

"Meh, just for the shower," Kara shrugged. "Swimming was always my thing, not singing." She was distracted by Carter coming to the edge of the pool.

"Hey, Kara?"

"Yeah?" Kara tilted her sunglasses down and peer at him over them.

"I was telling these guys that you're an amazing swimmer. Brody can't swim. Any chance you could give him some quick pointers?"

"Oh, sure," the younger blonde replied amiably. She got up and stripped off her shorts and tank. She was wearing a dark blue swimsuit that Cat enjoyed seeing on her tall, muscular body quite a lot. The CEO almost choked on her wine then, trying not to laugh at the teenage boy faces that stared at her girlfriend with mouths hanging open.

"Holy shit, Dude," she heard one of the boys say to her son. "Your Mom's girlfriend is hot."

Cat pretended she didn't hear it, especially considering she couldn't disagree with him and just watched as Kara dropped into the pool and ducked under the water. When she surfaced, she stood and flipped her hair back out of her eyes, looking around at the group of boys. "Ok, who wanted a swimming lesson?" she asked. Eleven hands shot up, including one of the girls Carter had invited.

"Hmmm… future lesbian of America, maybe?" Cat mused to herself with a chuckle. Then she glanced to her right and surreptitiously watched as her son talked shyly to the other girl he'd invited. She remembered that her name was Rachel. The girl was a pretty brunette with stunning green eyes and she smiled at Carter as he told her about the medal Kara had given him for his birthday.

In the meantime, Kara had begun a group swimming lesson and soon had all the kids swimming up and down the pool while she supervised. "Good job, everyone! Caroline, twist your head a little more when you're taking that breath between strokes. You'll get more air."

"Kara, could you show me how to tumble please?" one of the more experienced swimmers, Paul, asked.

"Absolutely, come to this end of the pool," Kara replied happily. She led him to the shallow end and held her hand a bit out from the wall. "You need to be aware of the size of your own body when it's tucked into a roll or else you'll hit your legs too soon as you come around. You also need to judge the right time to twist and kick out against the wall."

"Ok," Paul replied. "And how do I know that?"

"Practice," the instructor smiled. "It took me a while to perfect that and when I did, it shaved a noticeable amount off my time. Let me show you." Kara waded back to the center of the pool and then ducked under the water, moving through it with powerful strokes until she hit her turn point. She tumbled, flipped her body over and then pushed against the wall with her legs, her momentum carrying her all the way back to the center of the pool again. She stood up and slicked her hair back. The kids all clapped and she grinned sheepishly. "Thanks. Want to give it a go, Paul? We can take it slowly."

For the next fifteen minutes, Kara helped the young man through the process, tapping his shoulder when it was time to tumble and then giving him pointers on timing. From the edge of the pool, Cat closed her eyes and sighed happily, sipping the cool wine from her glass.

"Mom?" Her son's voice caught her attention and she straightened.

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

"I wanted you to meet Rachel," he said. "She was able to come to the party after all."

"That's great, Carter. Rachel, it's lovely to meet you."

"You too, Ms Grant. Thank you for inviting us to come to your house today and use your pool," the girl replied shyly.

"You're more than welcome," Cat smiled. Her eyes met Carter's and she nodded slightly. "Why don't you and Rachel get fresh drinks… in the kitchen?" she suggested with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure," the young man replied and he offered his hand to his friend. She took it and grinned at him as he guided her into the house.

Cat looked back at the pool to see Kara watching with a broad smile on her face. Then she frowned as she saw Caroline wrapping her arms around Paul's neck and sharing a chaste kiss with him as he lifted her into the air. "Got that one wrong apparently," she muttered. "Time will tell."

"Ok, Guys, I'm going to get a drink. Keep practicing and you'll be pros in no time!" Kara called out. Then she waded to the wall of the pool and pressed her body up and out of the water but instead of toweling off, she shook herself hard, playfully splashing Cat with water and then sliding into the lounger to lie in her arms.

"It's a good thing I like getting wet," Cat murmured seductively. "You look so sexy in that suit." Her hands itched to touch Kara in inappropriate places but she held herself back while young eyes were watching.

"I'm sexy?" Kara chuckled. "I'll have you know that some of those boys think you're, and I quote, holy milf."

"Seriously?" Cat asked with a laugh.

"Uh huh," the younger blonde nodded. "I'm really glad I don't have super-hearing. I'm pretty sure I would have heard a lot more otherwise."

"Well," Cat frowned. "Part of me is flattered and a bigger part of me is creeped out."

Just then, Carter and Rachel reappeared from the kitchen, still holding hands and with fresh drinks. They were smiling happily at each other and Kara rested her head on Cat's shoulder as she watched them. "Awwww… something tells me she said yes."

"I think so. Oh my God. My son is dating."

"It's ok, Honey," Kara chuckled. "He's going on a first date. It's not a marriage proposal or anything."

The older woman rolled her eyes. "I know that. It's just… he's just a baby."

"Cat," Kara said, her tone scolding. "He's not a baby anymore. He's fifteen and wants to kiss girls." She kissed Cat's shoulder. "I wanted to kiss someone too when I was fifteen. I just didn't have the time."

Cat nodded and pulled her girlfriend closer. "I love you," she said. "What you did today… giving him your medal… It meant a lot to him."

"It was you who gave me the idea actually," Kara replied. "You suggested that I make new memories for myself with them. Nothing will top the memory of Carter's face when he opened that box. Every time I see that medal from now on, I'll remember that moment. I should be thanking you for reminding me what they could mean to me."

"It was my pleasure, Darling. Now," she looked at her watch. "It's almost seven, lets get some more cake into these kids and put them in front of a movie so I can get you alone."

"You read my mind," Kara replied as she got up out of the lounger and went to the edge of the pool. "Alright, Guys, let's get you all inside and dressed. Cat's got more food and a movie for you."

Twenty minutes later, the kids were all crammed onto the family room furniture watching a superhero movie while Cat and Kara moved into the formal living room with some snacks and a bottle of wine. Cat turned on some music and they snuggled together on the couch. "Thanks for being so great with the kids today," she said. "They loved you."

"I had fun," Kara replied as she popped a grape into her mouth and chewed. "I've always loved kids. I dunno, Cat, since the assault, I really hadn't given much thought to having kids of my own but… seeing them out there in the pool today, teaching them, laughing with them… it made me think."

"Think what, Darling?"

"I do want to have kids, Cat, and it's something I should talk to you about because…" She paused and pressed her hand against her girlfriend's chest. "I love you and I'm in this for the long haul so it's a decision we should make together when we're ready."

Cat nodded. "I thought I was finished having kids," she said softly. "But seeing you out there today… You're going to be an amazing mother, Kara, and I want that for us someday."

"Thank you, Cat."

They sat together for a long time, sharing stories from their lives until parents started arriving to pick up their kids. Cat and Kara chatted with then for a while before saying goodnight to them and by eleven, the last kid was gone home. Cat wrapped her arm around her son's waist. "Did you have a good birthday, Sweetheart?" she asked.

"Best birthday ever," he grinned. "Rachel said yes when I asked her to go see a movie with me."

"Good job, Bud," Kara smiled, ruffling his short hair. "Proud of you. You know how to be a gentleman, right?"

Carter ducked his head and blushed a little. "Yeah, Dad gave me the talk and Mom has taught me how to respect women."

"Good, because respect is really important and when a woman says no…" Kara sucked in a breath and she fisted her hands as they began to tremble. "She means no. That right should never be taken away from her. Ever."

Carter frowned, reaching out a hand to her. "Are you ok, Kara?" he asked, concern lacing his tone.

"Yeah, sorry. I just had some bad experiences a while back that I'm still dealing with. Nothing for you to worry about." She kissed his forehead. "I'm gonna go to bed. Night."

"I'll be there shortly," Cat said as Kara headed up the stairs.

"Mom?" Carter said. "Is she really ok?"

"She'll be fine, I promise. Now, it's time for you to go to bed too." She hugged him. "Goodnight, Sweetheart."

"Night, Mom." Carter bounded up the stairs and disappeared into his room. Cat checked the doors, set the alarm and turned off the lights before making her way upstairs to her own bedroom. The nightstand lights were on and Kara was in bed, tucked up on her side with her back facing Cat's side of the bed. The older woman quietly undressed and slid into bed, pressing herself close to her girlfriend and spooning against her back.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly, as she kissed Kara's shoulder and rubbed her stomach. There was silence for a long moment and then Kara turned in her arms, meeting her eyes.

"No," she replied, her voice hoarse and her eyes stormy. "I want you to fuck me."

Cat's eyes widened and she cupped the younger woman's cheek. "Kara… you're upset. I'm not sure this is…"

"I'm not a child, Cat," Kara snapped, pulling herself out of her girlfriend's arms and sitting up. "And I'm not going to break!"

There was stunned silence between them and Cat rolled onto her back, looking at the ceiling for a moment. Then she blew out a long breath. "I know you're not a child," she replied. "I love you and I'm just worried."

"I know," Kara finally said. "I'm… I'm sorry. God, I'm so fucked up, Cat. I should… I should just go." She moved to pull back the covers but Cat's hand on her back made her pause.

"Kara, go if you want to… but don't leave because you think I want you to... because that's truly the last thing that I want."

The younger woman's head lowered and her shoulders shook with silent sobs. "I hate it," she confessed.

"Hate what, Darling," Cat asked softly.

"Feeling like this. The way my fear of and hatred for those guys crash down on me so hard sometimes that I can hardly breathe, and I never know when it's going to happen."

"Let me help you," the older woman said. "Don't leave."

And Kara nodded and lay back down, letting Cat hold her in the center of the king-sized bed as she just talked. She talked more about what had happened to her that night. She talked about how she sometimes felt like she was drowning. She cried and raged and cried again and finally, fell into a fitful sleep.

And Cat just held her through it all. She soothed the woman she loved through the nightmare that followed and held her tightly, until they both finally settled into restful sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Eight

Alex gets out… and Kara almost gets off… ;-)

Guys, I have family visiting from Ireland next week so I probably won't be posting much, if at all. The regular schedule will resume week after next. Also, if you want to, follow me on Twitter at cheeyathebard. I'm not that exciting but it'd be cool to chat with you guys/answer questions etc.

* * *

"Hey," Kara leaned over and kissed Alex's forehead. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better actually," Alex replied as she sat up a little higher in the bed. "Glad to be getting out of here today."

"I bet," the blonde smiled. "I brought you some clothes and shoes. Do you need help showering?"

"Nah," the doctor replied. "Briana helped me last night."

"Oh, she did, did she?" Kara grinned.

"Stop," Alex scolded. "It was purely professional… but she did agree to go on a date with me."

"After seeing the goodies? I bet she did." The younger Danvers pulled her sister's gear out of her bag and laid it out on the bed.

"How was Carter's birthday?" Alex asked as she slowly got up and started to dress.

Kara helped her off with her gown and on with her bra. "It was great. The kids had a blast. I gave them some swimming lessons and they had pizza and ice-cream. Carter asked a girl out on a date. We all had fun."

"I bet Cat was super-proud of him. Fifteen, right?" the doctor asked.

"Yeah. She was proud as hell. She had a great time too." The blonde helped Alex on with her jeans and tugged them up her legs but, when she didn't say anything else, Alex frowned, sensing a mood change in her sister.

"Everything ok?" she asked, curiously.

"Sure, everything's fine," Kara replied, as she pulled her sister's t-shirt down into place. She took a brush out of her bag and started ordering Alex's tousled hair but the older Danvers caught her hand and stopped its motion.

"Liar."

Kara sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I had a bad night last night," she began slowly. "I… I lashed out at Cat."

Alex tilted her head sympathetically. "Your first fight, huh?"

"It wasn't really a fight," Kara explained as she knelt to put Alex's sock on. "It was more me, losing my mind and her, talking me off the ledge."

"What triggered it?" the doctor asked as she slipped her feet into her boots.

"Long story," Kara replied, getting up and wandering to the window. "But it was different this time, Alex. I didn't feel the same way. Normally, I shy away from everything, withdraw and curl up in a ball somewhere. This time…" She looked out the window. "I was…um…" she blushed a little and rubbed her cheek. "Not the same."

"Kara, I'm your doctor as well as your sister. I'm pretty sure you can't shock me," Alex smiled.

"Cat asked me if I wanted to talk about how I was feeling and I told her no… I told her I just wanted her to fuck me… in those words. I lashed out at her because she wouldn't."

"She did the right thing, Sweetie," Alex said softly, coming up behind her sister to one-arm hug her from behind.

"I know." Kara sighed, leaning her head against her sister's. "I apologized this morning but I still feel bad. She was so supportive and sweet."

Alex paused a moment, thinking. "It's completely ok to want her to do that for you, Kara. Sometimes that hard and fast release is what we need. But with the memories attached to your emotions, I think it would have done more harm than good."

"You're right," Kara agreed. "I'm embarrassed too because I feel like I was being childish… you know… asking for sex and then getting angry when she said no… except she didn't actually even say no. Ugh… my brain is so frustrating."

"Relationships are a constant learning curve, Sweetie," Alex chuckled. "That's the reason why you have constantly work at them."

With a smile, Kara finished brushing Alex's hair and then tucked the stuff back into her bag. "Are you sure you're able for dinner tonight?" she asked. "Cat and Carter would understand if you just want to crash."

"Hell yeah, I'm so ready to have some conversation that isn't related to gunshot wounds."

"You're the worst patient, Alex," Kara laughed. "So who's going to discharge you?"

"Briana will be down with the papers soon," Alex replied. "She's organizing some supplies for me to take too… dressings and stuff."

"My ears are burning," Briana said as she came into the room, a stack of stuff in her arms. "Nice to see you back in clothes, Danvers. It was a seriously awful experience seeing you out of them." She winked at Kara, making her laugh and Alex blush and mutter something about scalpel stabbings. "Alright, Alex. John Hancock here… and here. Then you're free.

Alex signed as best she could and handed the folder back. "Hey, did the shooter get that MRI?"

"Yeah," the nurse replied. "You were right. It's a tumor but it's inoperable."

"Shit," Alex sighed. "Ok, thanks. We should get going. I'll call you later, ok?"

Briana nodded. "Seeya later, Danvers – es."

Alex turned to get into the mandatory wheelchair but she stopped, looked back to the nurse's smiling face and went back to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks… for everything," she said softly.

"My pleasure, Alex," Briana replied.

Alex climbed into the wheelchair and Kara pushed her out the door and down the corridor. "You really like her, don't you," she said as the elevator doors closed behind them and carried them down to the parking level.

"Yeah, I do," Alex nodded. Kara pushed Alex across the parking deck to her car and helped her to climb in and buckle her seatbelt. "I've always loved this car," the doctor said, looking around the crisp black leather interior of her sister's sporty BMW. "I'm due for an upgrade soon. I was thinking of getting one."

"I'll sell you this one," Kara joked as she pulled out of the lot and exited onto the freeway toward her neighborhood. "So what do you think about tonight? Thai? Or will I cook?"

"Meh, whatever is handiest. I'm sorry to be a burden, Kar. Thanks for letting me stay with you."

"Alex, you're my sister. You could NEVER be a burden to me."

"Say that again when I'm needing help at three in the morning.

"I'm serious, Alex."

"I know."

The listened to the radio, singing together as they cruised along the freeway and before long, they were pulling into Kara's parking space outside her building. "I think we'll just order takeout. It's almost four and I don't have time to grocery shop and cook before Cat and Carter get here."

"Sounds like a plan," Alex grinned.

Xx

It was close to six when Cat and Carter pulled up outside. Tom called Kara's apartment to let her know they were coming up and she opened the door, grinning widely as Carter hugged her hard and lifted her right off the ground. "Jeez, Dude," she wheezed. "You been lifting weights or something?"

"No, I'm just pleased to see you," the young man replied. "I was worried about you."

"I'm ok, thanks to your Mom," Kara replied, letting her eyes show her apology again when they met Cat's. "Go straight through. Alex is in the living room. We aren't long back from the hospital so I didn't have time to cook tonight. Have a look through the takeout menus she has in there."

"Ok," Carter replied and headed into the apartment to find Alex.

Then Kara turned to Cat, her eyes downcast. "I still feel so bad about my behavior last night," she said. "I'm so sorry, Cat."

Without a word, Cat moved closer and kissed Kara deeply, letting her hands rest on the younger woman's hips. She bit down on Kara's bottom lip, dragging a gasp from her as she tugged it. Then she put her mouth against Kara's ear. "I wanted to give you what you wanted last night." Kara shivered and closed her eyes as Cat's hands moved around to settle on her ass. "But I didn't want to feed the negative emotions you already had." She nibbled on the younger blonde's earlobe. "When I do fuck you," she added raggedly. "I want you to enjoy it as much as I will."

Kara whimpered and she had to put her hand out against the door to steady herself as her knees weakened. "Fuck…" she whispered.

"Later." Cat stepped back and winked. "I love you."

Then she took Kara's hand and led her into the living room to find Carter and Alex pouring over a Thai menu. "Mom," Carter said excitedly. "Did you know that Alex is the Chief of Oncology at National City General. She's everyone's boss there."

"Well, not everyone's," Alex clarified. "Just my department."

"Yes, I did know that," Cat replied with a smile. "But I bet she didn't tell you that she's the youngest chief in the history of the hospital?"

Kara was only half paying attention to the conversation since most of her logical thought processes had moved to between her legs and she shifted uncomfortably, ignoring the knowing smile Alex shot her way. "I'm… going to… get some drinks," she said as she shot out of her chair and disappeared into the kitchen.

Cat chuckled and shrugged. "Must have been something I said."


	29. Chapter 29

Drowning Chapter Twenty-Nine

A night with the Danvers-Grant family.

Trigger warning for description of suicidal thoughts. This one's also a tad more explicit.

* * *

The Danvers-Grant family was stuffed to the gills with Thai food and were now playing Monopoly on Kara's low coffee table. Carter and Alex were playing together, since the doctor was one-handed, and they had their heads bent together, strategizing over their next moves.

Despite being game rivals, Kara's arms was firmly wrapped around her girlfriend and they were cuddled together on the sofa. She was feeling much better about what had happened the night before and she was enjoying holding Cat close. The older woman's eyes were closed and she was stroking Kara's hand with her thumb.

"Mom?"

Cat jumped a little and cleared her throat. "Yes, Carter?"

"It's your roll."

"Oh," the older blonde nodded. "Thanks, Sweetheart." She rolled the dice and moved her car the right number of places on the board. Then, after a quick scan, she nodded. "I'll buy that one."

"Shit," Alex sighed, but she accepted the money while Carter got the street card out of the stack.

"She always wins," the young man told his teammate. "I haven't figured out how yet, but she always does."

Cat chuckled. "It's just experience making business critical decisions at a split second's notice, Sweetheart. I have to be decisive and even if it turns out to be the wrong choice, I have time to correct it later. This is a game of strategy more than anything else." She took a sip of her wine. "And…" she added. "It's always good to own utilities and infrastructure. People will always pay more for those when you already have them."

Carter shook his head. "I don't like this game anymore," he groused.

Alex also looked dismayed. "Me neither," she pouted, making Kara and Cat laugh.

The younger blonde pointed at the kitchen then. "What wants ice-cream cake?"

"Ooohhh me!" Alex exclaimed, raising her good arm. She poked Carter. "Race ya!" She jumped up off the couch, pushing the young man back down playfully, and ran for the refrigerator.

"She's so great," Cat said, kissing Kara's forehead. "You're so lucky to have a sister like her."

"I know," Kara replied. "She's amazing. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. I owe her everything." Her head lowered and she stared unseeingly at the Monopoly board. "There were so many times that first year when, everything hurt soooo much, that I just wanted it to end. One night, I took two bottles of pills and drank a lot of vodka. But Alex came looking for me when I didn't answer her calls and got me to the hospital in time. I was so angry with her when I woke up." She smiled as she looked over at her sister who was getting help from Carter to slice the cake. "But, when I saw how devastated she was, I finally agreed to check myself into a facility for a few weeks. She called me every night and we regained our closeness. I'm thankful every day that she saved my life."

"Hey, Lovebirds," Alex called from the kitchen. "If you don't get over here now, the cake monster is going to eat all of this yummy chocolate goodness. His name is Carter by the way."

"Hey," Carter replied indignantly. "I do believe you have the biggest piece of cake."

The doctor shrugged one shoulder. "You cut it, Dude."

Cat and Kara made their way to the island to grab some cake and they sat together, chatting and laughing for the rest of the evening.

Xx

Carter was tucked up on the sofa bed in the office and Alex was in her room getting ready for bed, so Kara took Cat's hand and led her slowly up the corridor to her bedroom. "I've never had so many people staying the night here before," she said as she closed the bedroom door and leaned back against it. "It feels really awesome."

"Good," Cat replied. "I had such a good time tonight. I think I might be slightly in love with your sister... and I KNOW Carter is."

"That's not the first time I've heard that," Kara laughed. "Everyone loves Alex." She pushed off the door then and walked to Cat who was sitting on the end of the bed. The older woman wrapped her arms around Kara's waist and pressed her cheek against her stomach.

"What you told me earlier about wanting to die," Cat said. "Do you ever feel like that now?"

"No," Kara replied. "Not anymore. After I left the facility, the first thing I did was to talk to Winn about starting a business. I realized I needed something in my life. I had a lot of money but no purpose so he and I created Breathe together. I think we'd both been adrift for too long."

"Why did Winn stop competing?" Cat asked.

"He's eight years older than me and with Paul and Danny in his life, I think he just knew it was the right time to retire. He's been such an amazing friend to me."

Cat nodded and lifted Kara's t-shirt to drop kisses on her stomach and trail her fingertips up her ribcage. She felt muscles contracting under her lips and tongue as her girlfriend inhaled deeply and then exhaled. "Are you tired?" Cat asked softly.

"No," Kara responded on an uneven breath. Delicious tingles were running up and down her back and she groaned softly as Cat stood to lift her girlfriend's t-shirt off and capture her nipple between her teeth through the fabric of her bra. She nibbled gently as her fingers went to the button fly of the younger woman's Levis and Kara began to tremble as the buttons popped open, one by one. She combed her fingers through Cat's hair. "Look at me," she whispered.

Green eyes lifted and Cat smiled lovingly. "Tell me what you want?"

Kara slowly pushed Cat back onto the bed and crawled up to straddle her thigh. She took off her bra and took her lover's hands, kissing each palm and then placing them on her own breasts. She began a slow rolling of her hips, pressing down on Cat's thigh and the delicious friction of her jeans against her clit, made her eyes flutter closed and her head tip back.

Cat watched her… every twitch of muscle, every facial expression… every moment turning her on more and more as she pinched and rolled the nipples in her hands. Kara gasped and tipped forward, one hand on either side of Cat's head and her long blonde hair resting on the older woman's chest, as she thrust down harder and faster.

She was so beautiful, it almost made Cat cry and she bent her knee a little, forcing her thigh up every time Kara's hips rolled down. A deep growl came from her lover's chest as her breathing grew faster and shallower and then, to Cat's surprise, Kara captured her wrist, pushed her hand inside her jeans and held it there. "Oh God," she groaned, her head tipping back again.

Cat almost came herself when she felt the hot wetness against her fingers. Her lover's hips were pressing down and she could feel Kara's clit, exposed and ready. "Kara," she whispered. Blue eyes opened and a little smile touched the younger woman's lips as she leaned down to kiss her lover, dipping her tongue between her lips and then pulling back to meet her eyes again. "Kara, come for me."

Kara whimpered and she thrusted faster against Cat's hand. Her chest was heaving now and she captured her bottom lip between her teeth as she desperately chased that moment of undoing. Then Cat moved her fingers in a sharp circular motion and Kara's hips stuttered. "Ohh… fuuuuckkkk," she grounded out and her head tipped back as her orgasm hit so hard that Cat had to support her with a hand on her shoulder.

As the pleasure wound down in Kara's body, she quickly opened the button and zipper of Cat's slacks, breathing hard. "Are you ready for me?" she asked, lifting just enough to shimmy her lover's pants and panties down her legs and off.

"Yes, God yes," Cat replied breathily. And then her blouse was being pulled open and her bra pushed up.

Kara's mouth was all over her breasts, kissing and sucking and biting urgently. "Good, because I want you so much right now and I'm not waiting any longer."

And then Kara's fingers were deep inside her, pushing hard and fast but Cat wanted more and she grasped her hands into her lover's hair, thrusting her hips up hard as Kara's thigh slammed down on her own hand, giving even more weight to her thrusts. It was heavenly, yet, at the same time, Cat hazily wondered if she might fly apart and when Kara bit her bottom lip roughly and ran her nails down Cat's bare chest to rake over her nipple, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop the scream that was building inside her.

But Kara seemed to sense it and she covered Cat's lips with her own, muffling the desperate cry of pleasure as Cat climaxed, with a fiery kiss that left them both breathless after. They collapsed onto the bed, Kara resting half on Cat with her head on her chest. Then she lifted her head anxiously. "Are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Cat chuckled and shook her head lazily. "No, Darling, you didn't hurt me." She trailed her fingertips up and down the younger woman's back. "It was perfect."

"Mmmm…" Kara agreed, snuggling closer again and closing her eyes as she draped her arm over Cat's belly.

Xx

Kara was awoken by a knock at her bedroom door and she sat up, glancing over at her phone to see that it was only a little before five. "Kara?"

She climbed out of bed, closed up the fly of her jeans and threw her previously-discarded T-shirt on over her head before going to the door. "Alex, are you ok?" she asked quietly as she opened the portal but her eyes widened as she saw her sheepish sister holding a gauze pad against her shoulder, which was bloody all the way through. "Jesus, what happened?"

The doctor shook her head unhappily and pulled the gauze away to show Kara the sluggishly bleeding wound. "Looks like I ripped some stitches in my sleep. I need to go back to the… wait… did you fall asleep in your clothes?"

"Oh… um… yes," the younger woman replied, looking down at herself. Her T-shirt was on inside out. "Let me just freshen up and I'll drive you to the hospital."

Alex nodded. "Thanks. Sorry about this."

Kara kissed her sister's cheek. "Don't be silly. Give me five minutes, Alex."

"Sure. I'll wait in the living room."

Kara stepped back and closed the bedroom door again, intending on heading to the bathroom. "Can I help?" Cat asked sleepily from the center of the bed.

The younger woman detoured to kiss her lover gently. "Go back to sleep, Honey. I just need to take Alex to the ER to have her stitches fixed. She's bleeding."

"Ok… call me later," Cat replied. She turned onto her side and relaxed back into a doze. Kara cleaned herself up and then went to find Alex in the living room. They headed out to Kara's car and the younger Danvers helped her sister to get strapped in.

"Sorry if I interrupted something," the doctor said with a small smile.

"You didn't," Kara replied with a chuckle. "We really were just sleeping."

"In your clothes? Really?" Alex lifted an eyebrow.

"There may, or may not, have been sex earlier," the younger woman added, keeping her eyes on the road.

"Again… in your clothes?" Alex laughed.

Kara's head tilted. "Um… some of them. We didn't really have time to get everything off."

"Wow." The doctor pursed her lips. "I'm impressed.

"Yeah, can we not talk about this?" the younger woman asked. "And can you get Briana into bed soon please, so you don't have to live vicariously through me?"

"Fuck you!" Alex laughed at her grinning sister, shaking her head, but she let the topic drop and just listened to the radio until they pulled off the freeway and into the hospital parking lot.


	30. Chapter 30

Drowning Chapter Thirty

Someone from Kara's past returns and a little teasing between Cat and Kara turns into some limo-playtime!

Whoah! Thirty chapters in! I had a fantastic vacation with my family and I'm back and raring to go!

Huge thanks to everyone who leaves comments and reviews. I try to reply to everyone but sometimes I just have too many and it's hard to keep track. So thank you, thank you, thank you! We all have busy lives, so it really means a lot to me that you take time out to feed the bard!

* * *

Briana Crane smiled when she saw a sheepish Alex Danvers come in through the automatic doors of the E.R., followed by her exhausted-looking sister. She perched her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Can't stay away from here, Danvers?" she teased. But then her lips twisted into a smirk. "Or is it me you can't stay away from."

"Definitely you," Alex replied with a grin. She sighed then. "I tore some stitches." She shrugged her jacket down off her shoulder to reveal the bloody bandage.

"Oh boy, yes you did," Briana replied. "Come on, let's get you fixed up." She hooked her index finger into Alex's belt loop and led her to the nearest empty curtain. Kara trailed along behind them. "How did you do this?" Briana asked.

"I don't know. In my sleep somehow," Alex replied. "I certainly wasn't doing anything exciting," she added with a chuckle as she gave her sister a meaningful look.

Kara shoved her hands deep into her jeans pockets as she rocked on her heels. "You know, Alex, I'll be out tomorrow night. Maybe Briana could come over and keep you company?"

The doctor looked at her friend and lifted an eyebrow. "Are you free, Brie?"

"Actually I am. I'd love to come over." The nurse replied as she pulled on a pair of gloves and then injected Alex with some local anesthesia. Twenty minutes later, the stitches were replaced and Alex's shoulder was carefully cleaned and re-bandaged. Kara's phone rang just then and she excused herself to answer it.

 _Is she ok?_

Cat sounded tired. Kara knew how she felt. "Yeah. She's fine. Flirting like crazy with Briana. I'm going to make myself scarce tomorrow night so they can have some alone time at my apartment."

 _I have a thing tomorrow night actually. I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with me? I meant to ask before but there's been a lot going on._

"What kind of a thing?" Kara asked curiously.

 _It's a fundraiser for one of the charities CatCo supports. I normally just stand next to the keynote speaker and then say a few words at the end. Having you there would definitely make it more fun._

"Sure," the younger woman replied. "I can dust off one of my evening dresses."

 _Perfect, Darling. Well, I'll see you later. I'm leaving for work now._

"Cat?"

 _Mmm?_

"This'll be our first official public appearance together."

 _I know._

Kara could hear the smile in her girlfriend's words. "Cool. I'll see you later. I love you."

 _I love you too._

The blonde slid her phone into her back pocket and went back inside. Alex was waiting for her on one of the hard plastic chairs and stood when she saw her sister. "Thank you, Kara."

"For what?"

"Inviting Briana over. I know you didn't have plans for tomorrow night." Alex hugged her sister hard. "I really appreciate it."

Kara grinned and rubbed her back. "You're welcome. However, it just so happens that Cat just invited me to a charity thing. So, you and Briana can have the whole apartment to yourselves. I'll stay with Cat tomorrow night."

"Awesome," Alex grinned. "Alright, let's get home. I'm exhausted."

"Me too," Kara agreed as they headed back to her car.

Xx

It was after seven when Kara was tucking her sister back into bed. She added some extra pillows to stop the doctor from moving around so the stitches would be safe. Then she went back to bed herself for a couple of hours.

At eleven, Kara was at _Breathe_ for her first client of the day. She left her phone on the table next to the pool in case Alex called but it was quiet all morning. At lunch, Kara called Alex to check in with her. Her sister was binge watching Jessica Jones and had ordered a pizza so the blonde promised she'd call back later and went back to work.

She texted Cat but she knew her girlfriend was in an all day conference so she didn't expect a message back anytime soon. Kara was sitting at her desk working on client billing approvals when a knock sounded at her door. She looked up with a smile on her face and it took her a few moments to realize who the visitor was.

"Hello, Kara. It's good to see you."

Very slowly, Kara stood up, pushing her chair back. "Andrea?" she whispered. "Oh my God. Is it really you?"

The woman standing in her doorway hadn't changed a bit. Her hair was still fiery red and her skin pale and freckled. She was wearing a pantsuit and heels and she smiled in that crooked way that Kara had always loved.

"Yeah, it's me, Kar."

They moved at the same time and met in a fierce embrace in the middle of Kara's office. They hugged for a long time and both were teary-eyed when they eased apart. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you," the blonde said. "The lawyers told me that you were one of the survivors."

"Yeah, just like you are," Andrea replied unhappily. "And I'm so sorry that I wasn't a better friend to you before. I was… scared… of your feelings." She looked away for a long moment. "And my own," she finally added.

"Your… your own?" Kara repeated. "What does that mean?"

Andrea paced slowly in front of her friend. "I felt things for you that I'd never felt for a woman before. It scared me. I thought it wasn't… normal. And when you told me how you felt, I ran from you. Not in the physical sense, but emotionally."

Kara nodded. "I felt you drawing away from me. I've been blaming myself all this time."

The redhead stepped closer. "I never should have let you go," she murmured as she cupped Kara's cheeks between her hands. For a long moment, their eyes met and held. Andrea's throat moved in a deep swallow but Kara just smiled and gently removed her friend's hands, joining them palm to palm and then letting them go.

"It's wonderful to see you," she said gently. "But I'm with someone now."

"Ah." Andrea took a seat in Kara's guest chair and crossed her legs. "Cat Grant. I wasn't sure if the stories were true."

"They're true," Kara confirmed, sitting down herself, picking up a pen and twirling it in her fingers. "Something tells me you didn't come here just for old time's sake, Drea."

"I just needed to see for myself," the redhead replied. "Is she taking you to the charity thing tomorrow night?"

"Yes, we'll be there."

"I will too." Andrea stood and smiled. "I'll see you there, Kara. It's really so wonderful to see you again."

Kara's old friend disappeared out the door, leaving her stunned. "What the hell just happened?" she muttered to herself as she went back to her paperwork.

Xx

"Fuck. Why am I so nervous?" Alex fixed her hair for the tenth time, glancing at her sister who was putting her makeup on in her bathroom mirror. Sharing a bathroom while getting ready for a night out felt like old times to them and they'd gravitated to each other, even though Kara's apartment had another bathroom other than her own.

"Because you care about her," Kara replied with a smile. She finished up her eyeliner and moved on to eyeshadow. "You wouldn't be nervous if you didn't." Kara slipped her makeup into her small clutch and pulled out her favorite lipstick. "Alex, something weird happened yesterday. Remember Andrea Jones?"

Alex pursed her lips. "That old friend of yours who's one of the victims in the case?"

"Yeah. She turned up at Breathe yesterday, completely out of the blue. She was acting really weird and told me that she used to have feelings for me that she ran from. We drifted apart back then, so for her to show up randomly was so weird."

"Huh. That is kinda weird," Alex replied as she watched her sister finish her up-do. "You look gorgeous, by the way. That dark blue is so your color."

"Thanks," Kara grinned. She pinned her last curl in place and then turned to show her sister the finished product.

"Cat won't be able to keep her eyes off you tonight," Alex said softly. "I'm so proud of you, Kara. I can't tell you how much."

Kara's eyes immediately filled with tears. "No no no, don't make me cry!" she exclaimed, fanning herself with her hands. Alex laughed and handed her a Kleenex. Then the security line rang. "Looks like Cat's here." Kara kissed her sister's temple and went to answer the phone. "Oh great, thanks, Tom." She hung up and called out. "Briana is here too, Alex!"

Kara opened the door, while Alex nervously fidgeted behind her. "Hi Honey," Kara said, taking Cat's hand and guiding her inside. "Come on in, Briana."

"Wow," Cat breathed. "You look incredible."

"Thank you," Kara replied as she leaned in for a kiss. "So do you. I love green on you."

"We should go," Cat said with a smile and a nod toward the kitchen. "Don't want to be late."

Kara turned. "Hey Al…" But she stopped and chuckled to find her sister already in there with her arms around Briana. "Ooookkkaaayyy. Bye, you two. Have fun."

Alex lifted a hand and waved them off. Cat took Kara's hand and they strolled down the hallway to the elevators. "Nervous?" she asked.

"A little," Kara admitted. "It's been such a long time since I was in the public eye like this and knowing Andrea is going to be there just makes it extra-stressful."

Cat nodded, thinking about what her girlfriend had told her about the Jones woman. "Do you think she's here to try to win you back?"

"You can't win back what you never had in first place," Kara replied with a shrug. "I really don't know why she's here to be honest."

"True," Cat conceded. "She'd better not make things uncomfortable for you or I'll have some things to say to her."

Kara grinned when the elevator doors opened and she pushed her girlfriend inside to kiss her. "You're sweet when you're defending me," she murmured as she eased back. "But I can take care of myself, Honey. I'm wearing my big girl panties tonight."

Cat chortled. "You're wearing underwear? I was hoping..." She trailed off as Kara's eyes widened. "Sorry..."

"No, don't be," the younger woman grinned. "I just didn't know... You'd want me to go commando?"

"Knowing you're naked under your dress is sexy," Cat replied. The elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the lobby. A limousine was waiting outside and the driver opened the door for them to slide in. "Thanks, Aiden," the older blonde said with a smile.

"You're welcome, Miss Grant. Miss Danvers." Aiden closed the door and walked around to get into the driver's seat as Cat picked up a bottle of champagne.

"Does this thing have a privacy screen?" Kara asked softly.

"Yes," Cat nodded. She hit a button and the glass between them and the driver turned opaque.

"Good." The younger woman moved forward in her seat and slid her hand up the slit of her dress to slowly tug her panties down and off over her heels. Cat could barely breathe and she actually thought she might have a minor heart attack when Kara leaned closer and pushed the black, lacy article down into Cat's cleavage. "You can decide where you want to keep them tonight," she said, loving the look of arousal on her girlfriend's face. She pulled her hand back but Cat caught it and, looking deeply into Kara's eyes, guided her hand between her own legs.

Kara gasped as she looked down... "Cat..."

"Please," the older woman whispered. "I want you to make yourself come."

Kara knew she'd never deny Cat what she wanted so, keeping her eyes on her girlfriend, she slid her fingers further between her legs and touched herself, slowly and teasingly at first, and then faster as her body began to crave release.

Cat watched, her breathing fast and shallow as Kara shifted a little to give her a better view.

Aiden's voice came over the intercom. "About seven minutes, Miss Grant."

Kara groaned. "I'm al... almost there," she said breathlessly. "Oh God..." She tipped her head back as her orgasm swept over her, gentle but intense and leaving her trembling in its wake.

Cat smiled and moved closer to kiss her. "Thank you, Darling," she said softly. "I love you so much."

"I love you," the younger woman replied with a smile.

Kara put herself back together as the limo pulled up outside the hotel and Cat stashed Kara's panties in one of the zipped pockets in her purse with a teasing wink. "Feeling more relaxed, Darling?" she asked, as Aiden opened the door.

They slid out of the car and joined hands as they headed up the red-carpeted steps. Camera flashes went off all around them and Kara squeezed Cat's hand gently. "Yes, much more," she chuckled. "Let's meet the press."


	31. Chapter 31

Drowning Chapter Thirty-One

Alex and Briana get to know each other better and Andrea makes an appearance at the charity event.

Sorry if I have any inconsistencies about how Briana looks. I haven't had time to read back on the other chapters so, from here on out, she has hazel eyes and dark brown hair, if she didn't before! K? K!

* * *

As Cat and Kara left for their charity event, Alex stood in the kitchen of her sister's apartment, her eyes locked on the soft hazel ones of her friend as she held her loosely around the waist with one arm. Briana smiled shyly and looked down, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "This is a little…" She paused as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"Weird?" Alex asked with a smile.

"No," Brie shook her head. "Different but welcome."

"I want to say thank you," Alex said softly. "For holding my hand when I was lying on the floor behind that damned curtain and for all the support you've given me since."

The nurse rested her cheek against Alex's for a moment. "I was so scared," she said. "I thought you were dead for a second. You have no idea how relieved I was when you moved. Alex, I really like you and I should have told you sooner instead of just letting the flirting go on between us for so long."

The doctor's arm tightened around her friend and pulled her closer. "I know. We should have done this a long time ago. I missed you when I was in London." She grinned then. "Can I get you a drink? We have wine and beer."

"Whatever beer you have is good," Brie replied. "I'm not really a wine drinker."

"Cool." Alex grabbed a couple of beers out of the fridge and gave them to Briana to open. Then they moved into the living room to sit down on the couch together. "I'm really glad you came over."

"Me too," Brie smiled. She scooted closer to the doctor. "I've been waiting ages for that kiss you promised me."

"I promised you a kiss?" Alex replied, blinking innocently. "I don't remember that. Was I on drugs or something?"

"Dude…" Briana replied with an exasperated eye-roll. "Shut up." And with that, she leaned in and kissed Alex on the lips, letting her fingers inch into her dark hair at the nape of her neck. The doctor shivered and pulled Briana flush against her as the nurse's tongue parted her lips to explore her mouth. It was slow and sweet and when they eased apart, Alex smiled, running her knuckles gently down her friend's cheek.

"I seem to remember something now alright," she teased, getting a light poke in her good shoulder for her trouble. "Less poking, more kissing," she added and Briana's arms encircled her neck again as their lips reconnected.

Xx

"Wow," Kara breathed softly to herself as she and Cat ascended the red-carpeted steps on the National City Regent Hotel. She blinked involuntarily as camera flashes went off all around her and she felt Cat's hand tighten around her fingers as a group of paparazzi blocked their way on the steps.

"Cat? Cat! Can you tell us who this beautiful young lady is?" one of the journalists shouted.

The CEO chuckled. "My girlfriend is more than capable of speaking for herself," she replied. "Please address questions about her, to her."

Turning the microphone to Kara, the woman lifted an eyebrow expectantly. Kara turned on her best beaming smile. "My name is Kara Danvers," she said clearly.

"How long have you and Cat been dating?" a tall man in a slightly shiny suit asked.

"A few weeks." Kara glanced at Cat, her smile turning softer. "But it been so wonderful, it seems like longer."

"How did you meet?" came another voice.

"I'm the co-owner of Breath Fitness Center and Spa. We met when Cat requested swimming lessons." She chuckled lightly. "Lucky me, huh?"

"Can you tell is a little about your background?" the first woman asked.

Kara nodded. "I've been an athlete most of my life," she explained. "I've been swimming competitively since I was a child and I've won a number of Olympic medals. After I retired, I opened Breathe with my best friend and completed a degree in Sports Management."

"And Cat…" Shiny-Suit-Guy moved his microphone. "Are you happy to be here with Kara tonight?"

"Thrilled," Cat replied with a wink. Then she tugged gently on Kara's hand. "Excuse us. We need to get inside."

The journalists parted to let them pass through and Kara chuckled softly. "That wasn't so bad."

"They'll get more than enough information to keep them going when Kiera's interview is published in the magazine on Tuesday." Cat's eyes sparkled with pride. "She did a great job, by the way. I've proofed it a couple of times and I've been very impressed with her work."

"Sounds like Kiera is getting a promotion," the younger blonde replied as a doorman opened the doors to the hotel lobby for them. "Thank you," she grinned at him as he tipped his top hat.

"Yes, I'm going to hire her into the reporter pool. I think she really has a lot of raw potential. She just needs some guidance and…" Cat paused though when Kara's eyes fell. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Andrea, ten o'clock."

Cat casually turned her head to see a tall redhead coming towards them. "Ah." Cat took in the woman's knee-length, black cocktail dress and six-inch black patent-leather heels and admitted she looked good.

"Kara!" Andrea waved as she trotted closer to the them. "It's so wonderful to see you again."

"Hi Drea," Kara replied, hugging her old friend and then pulling back to smile at her. "You look beautiful."

"So do you," Andrea replied, openly ogling Kara and making Cat's back straighten as she bristled.

The younger blonde cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Drea, this is my girlfriend, Cat Grant. Cat, Andrea Jones."

"A pleasure," Andrea held out her hand, which Cat grasped in a firm handshake, letting her eyes meet the newcomer's.

"Likewise," Cat replied without missing a beat.

"Honey," Kara said, wrapping her arm around Cat's waist and breaking the intensity. "Would you mind getting us some drinks while I catch up with Drea?"

"Yes, of course," the older woman replied. "I'll be right back," she added, then moved off in the direction of the bar.

"She's more... mature... than I expected," Andrea commented off-handedly.

"She's built a multi-billion-dollar media corporation," Kara replied mildly. "That doesn't happen overnight."

"Ah so you're in it for the money," the redhead laughed. "Clever girl."

Blue eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to even dignify that with an answer." Kara shook her head angrily. "Wow, you're nothing like the best friend I remember."

"Being raped and tortured will do that to a girl. You should know," Andrea shot back with a little wave of her hand.

Kara took a deep breath, willing the tears rising in her to stay at bay. "Why are you here, Andrea? Why did you just turn up yesterday?"

"Oh Kara, Love, I've been dreaming about seeing you again. I was in hospital for three months healing from what those torturing assholes did to me so I had a long time to think." Over Kara's shoulder, she saw Cat coming back from the bar. "What if I had responded differently when you told me you wanted to be with me back then? What if I had admitted that it was what I wanted too." She stepped closer, resting her hand on Kara's shoulder. "Maybe I'd be the one fucking you now, instead of a woman who's old enough to be your mother." And with that, she pulled Kara's mouth to hers and kissed her, forcing her tongue between her lips.

For a moment, Kara froze and then she shoved the redhead away. "What the hell are you doing?" she seethed, keeping her voice as low as possible.

"You ruined my life, Kara Danvers," Andrea replied as she saw Cat storming towards them. "And I'm going to make you pay."

And with that, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd. Kara saw Cat going after her but caught the older woman's arm. "Not here," she said softly, drawing her girlfriend into her arms. "This is a charity event, Cat."

The CEO was shaking with anger but she nodded and took a deep breath. "Are you ok, Darling?" she asked worriedly.

"A little shocked and overwhelmed," Kara replied. "But I'm ok. Let's just try to enjoy the rest of the evening. We can talk about what happened later."

"Ok," Cat agreed shakily. "But I'd better not see her face again for the rest of the night!"

"You know what?" Kara said. "I've been waiting forever to dance with you. Will you do me the honor please, Catherine?" She stepped out of their embrace and held out her hand in invitation, tilting her head toward the dance floor.

The older woman chuckled and accepted Kara's hand. "It would be my pleasure," she replied. They walked onto the mostly empty floor and Cat slid her arms around Kara's neck, pressing close to her as they moved slowly to the orchestra music.

They swayed together for a while, but then Kara ducked her head to whisper in Cat's ear. "This is cool'n'all, but I hope they have a DJ later."

Cat burst into laughter, the tension in her body dissipating immediately. She rested her head on Kara's shoulder and pressed her lips lightly to her neck, still chortling.

"Me too," she replied.


	32. Chapter 32

Drowning Chapter Thirty-Two

Just a bit of follow up on the charity event and Alex and Briana's evening!

* * *

Cat's tenseness hadn't fully gone away but she was trying to enjoy herself. The meal had been passable and the music fun but, every time she looked at Kara, she could see the swiftly hidden worry on her face. The CEO wanted to take her girlfriend aside and ask her what had happened, but Kara had clearly not wanted to talk about it until later and Cat respected her request. Then she wondered if she could track down Andrea and punch the information out of her but, while the thought of that was curiously satisfying, she didn't think Kara would appreciate that either.

She looked out into the audience from her position on-stage, next to the keynote speaker, to find loving blue eyes gazing up at her. Kara was smiling and nodded encouragement to her when it was her turn to take the microphone. "Well," Cat began in her efficient tone. "It's going to be hard to follow that wonderful keynote so I'll keep it brief." She took a breath and centered herself, calling on the part of herself that was fearless in front of millions. "Homelessness is a crisis we need to address right now. As a society, we need to take responsibility. It is NOT ok to step over a homeless person and sneer at them for asking for a dollar. It is NOT ok to think that they should just suck it up and get a job. It is NOT ok for us to live in riches while others are barely surviving on scraps and it is NOT ok for kids to go to school hungry because their parents can't afford food!"

Cat paused while applause travelled around the room. Her eyes met Kara's again and she smiled widely as the young woman mouthed _I love you_ to her.

"CatCo has always been a supporter of charities that genuinely believe in, and work for, a better standard of living for people in this city and my company donates millions each year in an attempt to help but you know what? It's not enough." She folded her hands and leaned on the podium to get closer to the microphone. "Starting immediately, I will be putting together a independent foundation that will locate suitable property in the city, renovate it to the proper standards and begin to offer temporary homes to homeless people. This team will perform counseling, rehab services and will help the tenants to get a job so that, when they're back on their feet, they can get a place of their own and move on to allow someone else in need to take their slot."

She paused again as her eyes moved to meet each person's in the room. "There are a lot of… fortunate… people in this room who can spare some of their hard-earned wealth. So, I'm asking you all. I'm asking each and every one of you to put your hand into your pocket and to take responsibility for helping one person to have a meaningful life. If everyone in the room helped one person, that would be almost five-hundred people no longer living on the streets of National City. Who's with me?"

There was silence for a moment and then Kara stood up. She took a deep breath and spoke loudly and clearly. "I'm Kara Danvers. My company is small but we want to help. Breathe Fitness Center and Spa pledges two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to be split between this charity and the new foundation."

Cat blinked in surprise and then a wide, delighted smile spread across her face. "Thank you, Kara." she replied.

Kara blushed a little, took her seat again and proudly met the curious eyes of the other people at her table. Then another man stood, buttoning his tuxedo jacket and squaring his shoulders. "Morgan Edge," he said. "If a small business owner like Ms. Danvers can make a donation, then we all can AND should. Edge Technologies pledges one million dollars."

One by one, business owners and CEOs took a turn to make a pledge and, by the end of the evening, Cat had over thirty million promised to help the cause. She took a deep breath as she stepped back to the microphone to give an update. "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and over the next few weeks, I'll have my staff send out the transfer details for the accounts along with the plan for the foundation. This is all very new so bear with us."

She carefully took the steps down from the stage and walked across the floor, right into Kara's arms to kiss her gently. "Thank you, Darling."

"It's not much compared to the other companies but I think it got the ball rolling," the younger blonde replied with a smile.

"Not much?" Cat replied incredulously. She stroked her knuckles along her girlfriend's cheek. "Kara, it's everything. Your love and support truly means everything to me."

"It's the least I can do, Honey, after everything you've done for me over the past few weeks. You've changed my life. You know that, right?"

Cat blinked. "I have?"

Kara kissed her again. "You have."

Xx

"Nononooooo!" Alex exclaimed, hiding her face behind a cushion. "That's gross."

"Alex," Brie laughed delightedly as she tossed the remains of her pizza slice back into the box. "You're a doctor. You've assisted in surgeries. How on earth is this freaking you out?"

"Surgeries don't usually involve chainsawing out intestines!" the doctor in question replied indignantly.

"You said you liked horror movies," Briana teased. "Would you like me to put on a rom-com or something?"

"No," Alex replied with a sigh. "I can make it."

"Well maybe this'll make it easier," the nurse replied. She shifted on the couch and guided Alex to lean back against her chest, then wrapped her arms around her. "Better?"

"Much." Alex tipped her head back and closed her eyes, relaxing into the warmth of her friend. She had to admit to herself that she was tired. Between the pain, then the meds to treat the pain, she felt drowsy and kept nodding off.

"Alright," Brie chuckled. "Let's get you into bed, Doctor Danvers."

"No, I don't want to leave you here," Alex replied.

"Don't worry," Brie replied, gently stroking Alex's hair back from her face. "I'm coming too."

Alex nodded and went around the apartment, checking to make sure everything was locked up and turning off the lights. Briana waited and then accepted Alex's hand so she could lead them to the bedroom. Barely fifteen minutes later, the doctor was asleep, curled up in her friend's arms and holding on tightly.

Xx

"So, do you feel like talking about what happened with Andrea earlier?" Cat asked as she tucked the soft sheets around herself and Kara.

"It was weird," Kara replied after a moment's thought. She flattened her hands on Cat's chest and rested her chin on them, looking up at her girlfriend who was propped up on a couple of pillows. "When I saw her at Breathe, she was nice to me. She hugged me, she apologized for what had happened between us and then seemed like she even… wanted to kiss me. Then when I told her I was with you and that we could only be friends, her demeanor changed and she seemed to… harden, I guess I'd say. Her eyes changed."

Cat nodded. "Go on."

"Then tonight, she seemed more… hostile. After you went to the bar, she was immediately all up in my face. She said some stuff about you that made me mad and I called her out on being different than the woman I knew before. And after that, she told me I'd ruined her life and that she'd get me back, basically."

Cat's lips pursed. "Ruined her life how?"

Kara shrugged. "I don't know but she seemed bitter. I've been wracking my brains trying to figure out why she might feel that way."

"Well," the older woman sighed. "You haven't seen her in a long time so you don't know her backstory but, I can't see you ever ruining anyone's life, Kara Danvers." She touched her girlfriend's nose.

"Ugh…" Kara replied, closing her eyes and sighing. "I'm way too tired and full of booze to think any more about it now." She wriggled around to press the length of her body against Cat's side and rested her head on her shoulder. The older blonde turned off the lights and they lay together in comfortable silence for a while.

"Kara?" Cat suddenly murmured.

"Hmmm?"

"I know we hadn't discussed this at all but… want to co-manage the new foundation with me?"

When Kara replied, Cat could hear the smile in her voice. "I thought you'd never ask."

Xx

It was Saturday and it was a beautiful day for lounging around the pool at Cat's house. Kara had suggested a spur of the moment, family pool party and Cat that thought it was a great idea. So now, Alex and Brie, Winn and Paul, and Cat and Kara were on the patio next to the pool. The men had set up the grill to cook the burgers and hot dogs while the women had taken to the lounge chairs to drink some adult beverages and work on their tans.

"How's the shoulder, Alex?" Cat asked as she handed her a beer. Briana was sipping on a soda since she had to go to work that night.

"Meh," the doctor replied. "It's getting there. Gonna take some physical therapy to get it back to full strength though."

"Swimming will help," Kara pointed out. "I'll help you." She smiled then. "Hey, remember that time we were surfing together and Craig Jackson lost control of his board?"

"Ugh, do I ever," Alex replied, rolling her eyes. "The damn thing nailed me right in the back. I had a bruise the size of Texas for a like a month. Mom was so pissed."

"Yeah, she was," Kara replied softly. "Wow, I still miss her so much."

The doctor nodded. "Me too. Sometimes I wish I could just ask her advice about stuff."

Kara chuckled. "I guess I'm lucky, I have you for that."

Cat listened quietly. Kara rarely talked about her mother but when she did, it was always with a quiet reverence that Cat wished she felt for her own mother… the Witch. She looked over at Carter and Danny playing together in the pool and wondered how her son felt about her. Was she as good as mother to Carter as she hoped she was? God knows she could have been a better mother to Adam but at the time, CatCo had been her baby. She was lucky, she knew, to have a good relationship with him now.

She felt a gentle hand on hers and then Kara laced their fingers together absently as the chat continued. She was telling the story of the night before and how she and Cat were planning a new foundation and Alex tilted her head a little as she listened. "You're going to need medical staff, right?" she asked.

"At some point, yes," Cat agreed.

"Then put me down for some pro bono hours. We could have a small clinic at the property once or twice a week to triage issues and treat minor ones that don't need to go to the hospital."

"Me too," Briana added. "Alex would need a nurse."

Winn nodded as he flipped the burgers. "I could give a weekly self-defense class. I bet there are some women who might need it."

Paul grinned. "And I could take on some pro bono legal work if it's needed."

Kara lifted her hand. "If we could work out a deal with a local Y in the area, I could give swimming lessons."

Cat looked around the group, a slow smile of awe spreading across her face. "Holy shit," she laughed. "We're really doing this."

Kara held up her glass in a toast. "To the… Whatever We Decide to Call It Foundation! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Everyone clinked glasses and then Cat picked up her phone to dial a number. She waited and then spoke quickly.

"Kiera? Sorry to disturb your Saturday but I need you to jump on something early as you can on Monday morning. I need you to set up a meeting with a lawyer who specializes in charitable foundations. After that, I'll have another story for you to write!" She listened for a moment. "I know it's a strange ask but I'll fill you in on Monday, I promise." She listened again. "I sound happy because I AM happy," she said, gazing around her new family. "Thanks, Kiera. Enjoy the rest of your weekend."

"Come and get it!" Paul exclaimed as he turned the grill down to the lowest setting. "To go with the burgers and hot dogs, we have cheese, pickles, relish, ketchup, onions and chili. Help yourselves!"

"Yum, I'm starving," Kara exclaimed, climbing out of her lounger but Cat suddenly stopped her, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Remember last night you told me I'd changed your life?" the older woman asked.

"I do," Kara nodded.

"Well you've changed mine too. I love you so much, Kara Danvers."

They shared a long hug. "I love you so much too," the younger blonde whispered. "You are amazing, Cat Grant."


	33. Chapter 33

Drowning Chapter Thirty-three

Andrea pays an unexpected visit. The foundation is on its way into being.

Guys, I struggled so much with this chapter. I had to drag every line out of myself so sorry if it's not great. I had a hard time linking Andrea and Kara so I just did the best I could.

* * *

It had been a whirlwind Monday morning but it was lunch time now. Cat was sitting at her desk at CatCo, marking items off a list as Kara and Kiera sat in her guest chairs, tablets in hand.

"Legal contract and retainer paperwork, check. Power of Attorney, check. Account signatures, check. Founding papers, check. Appointment with lawyer, check," the CEO muttered.

"And a paaaartridge in a peeeeaaaar treeeeeee," Kara warbled softly, making both women laugh. She lifted her eyes from her screen and grinned. "This is the most fun I've had since Winn and I founded Breathe."

"New beginnings are always fun, Darling," Cat replied. Then she paused, a look of wonder spreading over her face as her eyes landed on the only field that wasn't filled in on her forms. _Name of Foundation_. "What if we called the foundation 'New Beginnings'?"

Kara and Kiera exchanged glances, both nodding at the same time. "I like it," Kara replied. "It indicates hope and rebirth."

"Well, there you go," Cat smiled at her assistant. "You have a title for your new article." Cat got up then, straightening her skirt as she circled her desk and stood next to her assistant. "Kiera," she said in a tone broaching no backtalk.

The young woman stood too. "Yes, Miss Grant?" she replied just as seriously.

Kara stifled a grin behind her long, blonde hair. She knew what was coming.

"Pack up your desk. You're moving."

"I… I am?" Kiera replied, looking at Kara for some backup. The younger blonde merely shrugged. "Miss Grant, if I did something wrong, I…"

"On the contrary," Cat interjected, her tone softer. "You've done everything flawlessly, which is why I'm promoting you. I want you to join the reporting staff under Molly Calabria."

"I… I get to be a reporter?" Kiera breathed, completely in shock.

"JUNIOR reporter," Cat clarified. "And the pay won't be much more, but yes. Molly is expecting you. Get going. Chop chop. And call a temp agency to get me a new assistant."

Kiera laughed excitedly and to Kara's surprise, hugged her boss. "Thank you, Miss Grant!"

The older woman smiled, returning the hug and rubbing the young woman's back. Then she pulled back and held her at arm's length. "Enough sappiness. Get going." She patted Kiera's cheek softly and walked back around her desk to sit down in her power chair.

With a final, grateful smile, Kiera trotted back to her desk to call the agency and pack her stuff. Cat sighed. "My working life will now go to hell," she stated. "That woman was the best assistant I've ever had."

Kara chuckled and got up. "Speaking of working life. I need to get back to Breathe. I have some clients this afternoon. And hey, Cat? If you still want to learn how to swim, we really have to stop getting… distracted… in the pool."

The CEO laughed softly. "I know. It's because…" She pointed at Kara's tall, slender frame and waggled her eyebrows. "You."

"Don't make me wear full body neoprene," Kara replied in a warning but playful tone.

Cat just shrugged. "Wouldn't matter. I'm off-the-scale-attracted to you so…"

The younger blonde moved slowly around the desk and sat on its edge, reaching out to tuck a strand of Cat's hair behind her ear. "Ditto," she said softly. "I want to kiss you so badly right now but I know it's not…"

Cat got up suddenly and took her hand, pulling her out onto her private balcony, where they spent a leisurely few minutes making out on the couch. "Mmmm…" Kara moaned softly. "I really need to go."

"Ok," Cat replied, nibbling her lover's ear lobe. "Will I see you tonight?"

"No, not tonight," Kara replied on an uneven breath. "I have a staff meeting. Winn and I are taking everyone out for dinner afterwards. We just broke five million in net profit for the year."

Cat's smile was luminous. "Congratulations, Darling. That's amazing news."

"Thanks, we're thrilled." Kara got up and left Cat with a parting kiss. "I'll call you when I get home tonight."

XX

It was quiet at Cat's. Carter was at a friend's house, Martina was gone to visit her mother and the lady herself was sitting quietly on the patio by the pool, reading through her plans for the new foundation and scowling at the grasshoppers breaking the stillness of the evening. The pool lights were on and the water looked inviting, so she stripped off her robe and stepped in, in her bathing suit, submerging herself up to her chest. She started a slow breast stroke, just as Kara had showed her, and she was beginning to really enjoy herself when a voice suddenly came out of the silence.

"I suppose SHE taught you that."

Cat jumped and got her feet under her, turning to find a shadowed figure standing by the edge of the pool. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Tut tut, Cat, don't you remember me from the party the other night?"

The figure stepped more into the light and Cat realized that it was Andrea... and she was holding a gun in her hand. "Yes." Cat squared her shoulders and took a breath. "I remember you. How did you get in here?"

"Your security system isn't as good as you might think," the redhead replied. She took a seat on one of the patio chairs and crossed her legs. "But that doesn't matter, right now."

Cat moved toward the pool steps and slowly climbed them, one by one. "What do you want?" she asked as she came closer to the intruder. "If you're here to rob me, you should know that I don't keep cash in the house."

Andrea tapped the gun against the arm of the chair, ignoring Cat's words. "I can see why she wants you. You're very attractive."

Cat rolled her eyes. "Thank you," she replied dryly. "But I don't think you're here to give me compliments."

"You're right," the redhead replied. "I'm here because I want revenge against Kara for ruining my life. And what better way to do that, than to take away the person she loves the most." She got up and paced slowly in front of Cat, who was slipping back into her robe now. "I saw the way she looks at you. I was standing out of sight when she made that pledge. Oh Cat, she wasn't just pledging money to you, she was pledging herself." She suddenly pointed the gun at Cat and pulled back the hammer. "Should I just kill you now? Or should I wait and do it while Kara watches?"

Cat swallowed, her heart clenching in her chest. She wasn't afraid to die... but she wasn't ready yet. She wasn't ready to leave her sons and her new family behind. "Please," she said quietly, reaching out a hand. "Andrea, I don't think you really want to do this. You seem like a good person who's been devastated by abuse and hurt. You were raped and tortured just like Kara was." She paused then. "How did it happen?"

The gun shook in Andrea's hand. "They... They sent someone. They wanted to kill her when she came back to the States so she wouldn't change her mind about pursuing them, but she'd been keeping such a low profile that they couldn't find her. But they eventually linked us together and... they wanted to send her a message but Kara never even got it. Hadn't a clue because she just left me. So, I used the lawyers to find her."

"Andrea, this isn't Kara's fault. And it's not your fault either. Those men are the scum of the earth and you know what? Knowing that they sent someone after you because they couldn't find her makes me sick. So, let me help you. Let's fight back together." She slowly approached the redhead. "Talk to Kara. She'll be devastated to know what happened to you. Let us help you, please?"

Cat wondered if these were the last few minutes of her life as she waited, eyes focused on Andrea's, startled slightly when she realized that the pain she often saw in her girlfriend's eyes was reflected the redhead's too.

Andrea's finger tensed on the trigger but after a moment, she shook her head, released the hammer and flipped the safety back on. "I want her to see it when I kill you." And with that she turned and disappeared back into the darkness.

Cat let out a relieved gasp and tears rose to her eyes as her knees unlocked and she fell into a chair. Then she pulled her phone out of her robe's pocket and dialed nine-one-one with shaking hands.

Xx

Kara had reserved a whole restaurant for the Breath team's celebration and she moved from table to table, chatting with people over the course of the evening. Everyone was casually dressed, speeches were finished and the tables were full of half-eaten platters and empty wine bottles. Winn met her eyes across the room and they grinned at each other. They were so proud of everything they'd achieved. In fact, she'd even had a conversation with him that same day about opening a second location but they'd agreed to get the foundation off the ground first and then revisit the plan.

Kara was chatting with Mike, who'd seemed to have gotten over his crush on her a little, when her phone dinged and she pulled it out of her back pocket. It was a message from Cat.

 _Had a rather nasty visit to the house from Andrea. Everything is ok. Don't worry. But I'm staying at the Radisson tonight. Can you stop by on the way home so we can talk?_

Kara shook her head and texted Cat back. _Holy_ s _hit. I'm sorry, Honey. Do you need me to come now?_

 _No, it's ok. Just come and stay with me after your party tonight, ok? Room 604. I need to know you're safe. 3_

 _Ok. I love you. Let me know if you need me to come sooner._

The instructor excused herself from Mike and caught Winn's eyes again, tilting her head toward the bar. He nodded and, as they met there, Kara held out her phone for him to read Cat's message. "What the hell?" he hissed in a low voice. "She turned up at Cat's?"

"Apparently," Kara replied. "I dunno. I'm reading between the lines here but something's wrong."

"Maybe you should go now," Winn suggested. Kara was torn as she looked at her staff and friends having a good time. She wanted to celebrate with them but a bigger part of her needed to make sure that Cat was ok so her friend put his hand on her shoulder. "Go."

Kata nodded. "Say goodnight to everyone for me."

"I will," Winn replied, giving her a quick hug. "Go on. Go."


	34. Chapter 34

Drowning Chapter Thirty-Four

Super-angsty chapter. Kara, Cat and Andrea deal with A LOT!

Phew! I am EXHAUSTED after this chapter! Enjoy.

* * *

It was just about ten when Kara pulled up outside the Radisson and found a parking spot. She double checked Cat's room number as she got into the elevator and found it, almost at the end of the corridor on the sixth floor. She knocked gently and, after a moment, heard footsteps on the other side the door. She smiled as she imagined Cat peering through the peephole, which she was of course. Then the door was yanked open and Kara was pulled inside so fast that she barely stayed on her feet. It was only Cat's crushing hug that held her upright and she returned the hug with as much fervor, shocked when her girlfriend buried her face in the crook of her neck and dissolved into breathless sobs.

"Oh my God, Baby. What happened?" She just held Cat 'till she cried herself out and, when she finally raised her head, Kara cupped her cheeks and kissed her gently. "Come on, let's sit on the bed."

Cat's eyes were red, her face pale and Kara could tell she'd been drinking. "Sorry," the older woman murmured. "It's been a rough night."

"Is this about Andrea? What the hell did she do, Cat?"

The older blonde's breath hitched but she held it together. "I was in the pool when she showed up. She pointed a gun at me and I thought she was going to kill me but she decided in the end that she wanted you to see it when she does it."

Kara was completely speechless, her mouth open in utter disbelief. "What the FUCK was she thinking?!"she finally exclaimed. "The Andrea I knew wouldn't hurt a fly."

Cat got up and went to the mini bar to grab another scotch but there were none left. "Shit." She settled on wine instead and poured two small bottles into two paper cups and went back to the bed to give one to Kara. "She's not the person you knew before," she said quietly. "She's been through the same hell that you have."

"How?" Kara asked, confused. "She was never at the Olympics. She's not an athlete. How would she have ever crossed paths with those monsters. I should have asked the lawyers but I was so caught up in dealing with my own case…"

"I have to tell you something, Darling," Cat replied, fully composed again. "And it's going to be hard to hear."

The younger blonde took a gulp of her wine and nodded. "Go on."

"Those monsters, as you so aptly called them, wanted to silence you forever, Kara. But they couldn't find you when you moved back to the States. But they found Andrea and tried to send you a warning by doing to her, what they did to you. But they didn't know that you and Andrea had fallen out, so to speak, so the message never got to you."

The cup of wine fell out of Kara's suddenly-nerveless fingers and splashed onto the carpet. "No," she whispered, getting up and backing away from Cat until her butt hit the dressing table behind her. "No, God, please no." She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes and shook her head, then doubled over as the grief and pain hit her so hard that she couldn't even breathe. Cat went to her side, trying to hold her but Kara pulled away. "Don't touch me!" She was crying tears of fury and she screamed as she whirled, punching the mirror so hard that it smashed into pieces and cut the knuckles of her right hand.

"Kara, stop!" Cat said firmly, catching her girlfriend's forearms and holding them tightly.

Kara struggled against her but, as she exhausted herself she just fell to her knees and, when Cat knelt next to her, she put her head in her girlfriend's lap, clinging to her legs like a frightened child. "This is my fault," she sobbed. "This is all my fault. She was raped and tortured because of me… and you could have died tonight because of me."

Cat bent over her, pressing her lips to the top of her head and murmuring softly. "This is NOT your fault, Love. None of this is your fault. You have to believe me."

But Kara didn't believe her and pulled away suddenly, got up and ran. Ran from Cat and ran from everything else. She ran down the six flights of stairs and out the back exit of the hotel and kept running until she literally couldn't run anymore. She found a patch of long grass and dropped into it, lying on her back with her chest heaving. She had no idea where she was or how far she'd run but the muscles in her legs were quivering uncomfortably and her chest hurt every time she sucked in a breath. She looked down at her hand. It had stopped bleeding but was hurting too.

Kara looked up at the murky night sky, gazed at the twinkling stars and the lights of the airplanes coming in and out of National City Airport, and cried softly. "Why?" she whispered. "Whoever you are… God… the Fates or Mother fucking Nature… Why are you doing this to me? I don't deserve this. I need help. Please, help me."

And then her phone rang, scaring her half to death. She pulled it out and looked at the screen. It was Winn and she immediately answered it. "Hi," she said quietly.

 _Are you ok?_

"No," Kara sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. But she did acknowledge that hearing his voice made her feel calmer. "I'm so not ok, Winn." She hiccuped up a little. "And I think I just ruined things with Cat by running out on her."

 _Nothing's ruined with Cat, Kar. She called me and told me what happened with Andrea and how you reacted when you found out. She's worried about you but she understands. She tried calling you but you didn't answer so she told me to tell you she loves you and to come back to her when you're ready._

"Jesus," Kara whispered, pushing her hair back and leaving her hand on her forehead. "What the hell have I done to deserve her love?" It was a rhetorical question.

 _You two are perfect for each other, you know that? Do you want me to come pick you up or do you just want to go back to Cat?_

Kara slowly climbed to her feet. Her legs were stiffening up so she walked slowly as she tried to get her bearings. She didn't recognize anything and her eyes widened. "Wow. I don't even know where I am. Listen, I'm just going to walk for a bit. I'll grab an Uber when I get to something that looks like a main road."

" _Ok. But be careful and text me as soon as you're in a cab._

"Yeah, yeah I will. Later." She hung up and checked her call history list. Cat had called eighteen times and Kara felt guilty. She dialed her girlfriend, beginning to talk as soon as she heard Cat answer.

"I'm so sorry, Cat. I really am. I should never have run out like that. I just… I was freaked out and angry and… not at you or anything. I was just overwhelmed and needed to get away from everything." She suddenly stopped speaking, breathing raggedly. "I'm a shit girlfriend, Cat. I don't even know why you deal with this."

"Because I love you," came the gentle reply. "And I'll thank you to not talk about my girlfriend like that."

Kara blinked. "Uhhh… huh?"

"You're far from a shit girlfriend and I understand why you ran. So please, if the running is out of your system, get your ass back here to I can hug you to death."

"O-o-ok," the younger blonde stammered softly. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

Xx

Andrea Jones, former best friend fo Kara Danvers, had watched with her lips twisted into a little smile when the blonde had burst through the hotel's exit doors and had run like she was being pursued by the devil himself.

"I guess poor Pussy-Cat told you what happened," she murmured to herself. She waited to see if Kara would come back, and when she didn't after almost ninety minutes, Andrea got out of the car and strolled into the lobby of the hotel, smiling at the staff member manning the check-in desk. "Hello. I was wondering if you could tell me what room Cat Grant is in? I'm supposed to be meeting her for a drink."

"And your name, Ma'am?" The man pulled out a list from under a stack of other papers and looked at Cat Grant's approved visitors. There was only one name on it.

"Danvers," Andrea replied. "Kara Danvers."

"Ah yes. Miss Grant is in 604. She said she was expecting you, Miss Danvers. Would you like me to call her room to tell her you're on your way up?"

"No, don't bother," Andrea replied with a sugary smile. "We arranged a meeting time so she's expecting me."

"Yes, Ma'am," the man replied. "Have a good evening."

Andrea walked across the lobby and stepped into the elevator, humming softly to herself as she fingered the gun in her pocket. She knew that Kara wouldn't be gone for long. She knew the bitch wouldn't be able to stay away from her Pussy-Cat.

The redhead stopped outside room 604 and knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately. "Kara, are you…" But Andrea grinned, stepped forward and shoved Cat so hard that she fell backward onto the floor, hitting her head hard. Her vision swam for a moment but then she sat up, holding her hand to the back of her skull. Luckily she wasn't bleeding. "Well, well," she said, her tone cold. "Two visits in one day. Whatever did I do to deserve that?"

"Well fucking HER is definitely one thing," Andrea replied in a surprisingly warm tone. "You two are in love and shit, right?" She didn't wait for an answer. "I used to feel something like that for her too." She took the gun out of her pocket and sat down on the end of the room's sofa. "Before my heart turned to stone. Oh, you might as well get comfortable, Pussy-Cat. We're going to wait for Kara to get back."

Cat got slowly up off the floor and took a seat at the work table across the room. They sat like that for a while, not speaking, but the redhead seemed restless and she got up to poke around the room. While she was in the bathroom, Cat saw her opportunity. She quickly pulled out her phone and texted Kara. Then she turned on the phone's voice recorder and placed the device on the narrow shelf under the desktop.

Xx

Kara had finally found civilization again and was surprised by how far she'd managed to get from the Radisson. She'd ordered an Uber and was just getting into the back of the car when she received a text from Cat. She opened it immediately and blanched when she read the brief few words.

 _Andrea. In my room. Gun. Waiting for you._

"Oh my God. Radisson hotel please as fast as you can!" she told the driver and then anxiously dialed nine-one-one as he drove way much too slowly for her liking.

Xx

Cat watched Andrea pace back and forth, getting more impatient as time went on. "Jesus, Pussy-Cat, what the hell did you say to her to make her stay away for so long. You really must have pissed her off."

"No, actually," Cat replied. "I told her what you told me at my house and she was so devastated that she just got too overwhelmed and needed to get away."

"Devastated because I almost shot you?" the redhead asked with a smirk.

"No, devastated that you suffered so much. She blamed herself. She has a tendency to do that when it comes to those monsters. She second guesses everything that happened that night. And now she's second guessing every decision she's made since. I know her, Andrea. She's not taking this lightly."

"Like I give a fuck what she's going through. She ruined my life and I don't see her here giving two fucks about that!"

"Believe me, she cares," Cat said gently. "She cares so much."

"I. Don't. Believe. You." Andrea got up, her thumb messing with the gun's safety, flicking it on and off absently as she paced again. "This is a nice room," she said conversationally. Cat was beginning to get whiplash from the woman's change of moods from one minute to the next and she began to understand the level of mental damage that had been done to her.

"It's ok. I've stayed in nicer," Cat replied. "I used to travel a lot."

"But not so much anymore?"

"No, I leave that up to my staff these days," the older woman said with a shrug. "It's part of what I pay them for."

They sat in silence for a few moment then. Andrea was about to ask another question when there was a quiet knock at the door and a soft voice called out. "Andrea, it's Kara. Can we talk?"

The redhead's face lit up in a bright smile that suddenly turned into something cruel and horrible. She moved to the door and looked through the peephole. On the other side of the door, Kara Danvers stood. And boy she looked hot. Shaking those thoughts from her head, Andrea opened the door and stepped back to let Kara enter. "Welcome," she said. "Pussy-Cat and I have been waiting for you."

Kara just smiled thinly. "Well, I'm here now," she said. "Let's talk."

The redhead laughed lightly. "Oh, I'm not here to talk. I'm here to act." She lifted the gun and waved it at Cat. "Go stand over there, next to your girlfriend."

Kara moved slowly, her eyes alternating between the gun and Andrea's face but, when she reached Cat, she looked at her. "Are you ok? Did she hurt you?"

The older blonde shook her head. "No, I'm fine, Kara. Please tell me you brought reinforcements."

"No," Kara shrugged as she put her hand on Cat's shoulder. "Just me." She looked at Andrea then. "So, what's going on here, Drea?"

The redhead grinned. "Pussy-Cat and I were just having a little chat while we were waiting for you, Kara. I was explaining things to her."

"I see. Cat explained things to me too earlier tonight," Kara went on slowly. "I can't tell you how sorry I am that you were used in an attempt to get to me. And I'm sorry that we didn't keep in touch, Drea."

"Don't call me that," Andrea snapped. "Your Drea died a LONG time ago."

But Kara shook her head and took a couple of steps closer to her. "I don't believe that," she said softly. "The Drea I know was smart and funny and loved life so much. She had so many plans for the future. I loved that Drea."

"You took that future from me!" Andrea roared, her face twisting in anger. "You took everything from me and swanned off into the sunset with your cougar... MILF… whatever she is."

"Actually," Kara replied, keeping her tone even. "Those monsters took everything from both of us." Then, to both Cat and Andreas's surprise, she opened the buttons on her shirt and revealed her body to her former friend. She pointed out her scars, one by one and slowly, tears rose to the redhead's eyes. "Don't let them take any more from either of us."

"I have scars too," Andrea said as Kara buttoned her shirt. "But don't think that makes us scar-buddies or anything." She moved closer to Kara and raised the gun. "I hate you, Kara Danvers, and I want to ruin your life just like you ruined mine."

Kara held up her hands and took another couple of steps. She was close to Andrea now. "If you shoot Cat you might as well shoot me too because I promise you, I will do everything in my power to take you down. There would be nowhere you could hide that I wouldn't find you."

"Oh really, like that scares…" the redhead began but suddenly Kara was moving, lunging at her to try to grab the gun out of her hand. Andrea yelled and lowered the gun to move it out of Kara's grasp as she pulled the trigger."

Across the room, Cat screamed her girlfriend's name and was halfway across the room when she realized that Kara was still standing and there had been no gunshot. Then she suddenly realized what had happened. With all of Andrea's earlier fidgeting, she'd left the gun's safety on. Kara was frozen with shock but the redhead recovered more quickly and flipped the safety off. She raised the gun to fire again. Kara met Cat's eyes across the room, trying to communicate how much she loved her in that split second…

And then there was a loud crash as the hotel room's door was kicked in and the room was suddenly swarming with police officers. Andrea laughed maniacally. "Goodbye, Kara Danvers!" But she never got to pull the trigger. Instead, her body jerked as she was hit in the chest with a double tap from one of the officers' Glock.

"No!" Kara cried out, reaching a hand out to her former friend. "Drea!" But then Cat was there, holding her from behind as the world slowed down and began to blur.

"It's ok, I've got you," Cat said, holding Kara still as the officer checked Andrea for a pulse and shook his head sadly.

And Kara just slumped down onto her knees, eyes distant as Cat rocked her gently. People bustled all around them but in that few moment following her near-death, for Kara it was just her and Cat. And that was all she needed.


	35. Chapter 35

Drowning Chapter 35

I needed to take a little break after writing the last chapter. It was so exhausting trying to put myself into everyone's emotional rollercoaster-shoes to write each character.

This chapter is a little lighter and there MAY even be a little bit of Alex/Brie fun at the end.

* * *

Kara was holding Cat so close that they were breathing the same air. They'd slept fitfully together in the center of Cat's bed but Kara's nightmares had been powerful and they'd woken, exhausted, just to continue to hold each other. Kara hadn't said much. She'd just listened as Cat had explained what had happened before Kara had arrived. And she'd listened as her girlfriend had told her how she'd felt when Andrea had almost…

"Shh," Kara whispered when Cat's words had trailed off into tears. "We're both ok, Cat," she said. "We're alive. We gave the cell phone recording to the police so we're completely safe now."

"We could have lost each other," the older woman replied, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Kara used the corner of the sheet to tenderly dab away the remaining tears.

"But we didn't," she said softly. "And I understand everything now, Cat."

"Understand what?" Cat asked, her brows lifting.

"We're meant to be together," Kara said simply. "I felt it the first time I met you. I felt drawn to you. It was a battle to walk myself out of the pool room that day and, really? Do you think I hold all my clients the way I held you after your panic attack in the pool? Even last night, when I ran. The first thing I wanted when I stopped was to run straight back to you."

Cat chuckled. "I've never been a big believer in fate but I do understand what you're saying. I felt it too."

"I love you," Kara said as she ducked her head to kiss her girlfriend slowly and gently. "And I'm never going to leave you."

"I love you too," Cat replied with a broad, beautiful smile. Then she deepened their kiss and pulled Kara on top of her, letting her hands roam over the younger woman's slender, naked frame.

They made love, slowly, tenderly, whispering words of want and need as they guided each other through climax after climax until they finally came to rest, too exhausted to start again. Kara spooned against Cat's back, their joined hands pressed together over her heart, and held her tightly as sleep took them. And Kara didn't dream this time. She slept deeply as her exhausted mind finally shut down and let her rest.

Xx

"Mom?" a voice came through the bedroom door some time later. Cat woke immediately, years of half-listening for her son kicking in.

"Just a second, Carter" she called as she untangled herself from her sleeping partner and got out of bed. It was almost five and Carter would be worried, she realized. She pulled on a robe and stepped out into the hallway closing the door behind her. "Sorry we slept so long," she said. "Kara isn't feeling well and I was keeping her company. I guess we both fell back to sleep."

"That's ok," Carter smiled. "I was just worried. Do you want to have some dinner? I could bring Kara something to eat in bed."

"Let me check with her," Cat replied. "I'll eat downstairs with you but let's see what she wants to do."

"Ok, Mom," the young man nodded and then turned and trotted back down the stairs.

Cat slipped back into the bedroom and climbed onto the bed. Kara was awake and opened her arms for a hug, groaning softly. "God, I'm so stiff," she said with a wince as Cat laid her head on her shoulder.

"From the running or the sex?" the CEO asked with a chuckle.

"Probably both," Kara replied, shaking her head in exasperation at herself. "Is Carter ok?"

"Yeah." Cat glanced back toward the door. "He was asking if we wanted dinner."

"Oh, definitely, I'm starving." The younger woman sat up and rotated her neck and shoulders. "I need to swim," she said. "Maybe later on after dinner."

They both threw on their bathing suits and some shorts and t-shirts and headed downstairs, finding Carter in deep conversation with Martina, who gave them a smile. "The dead arose," the housekeeper teased. "I have shrimp Alfredo for dinner. Sound good?"

"I could eat a dinosaur sized shrimp right now," Kara replied seriously. Carter snickered and the younger blonde shrugged. "He thinks I'm joking."

"Sounds like Dinolady needs a double portion," the young man told Martina, getting a poke from Kara in response.

"Hey, watch it."

Carter shook his head and laughed.

Cat and Kara exchanged chuckles but Kara leaned close to Carter and grinned. "So how are things going with you and Rachel? You kiss her yet?"

The young man's face turned red and he shook his head. "No, not yet. But things are going great."

Kara frowned. "Why have you not kissed her?"

Carter looked at Cat and cleared his throat but the older woman laughed softly. "Kara, Darling, I don't think that's the kind of thing you talk about in front of your mother."

"Oh, right," the younger woman replied. "Sorry, Dude. We can catch up later."

Martina was grinning and shaking her head as she portioned out the angel hair pasta and Alfredo sauce. "A double portion for the lady with the extra-fast metabolism," she said as she handed Kara a heaped plate.

"See?" Kara said happily, pointing at the housekeeper with her fork. "She gets it. Thanks, Martina."

They spent the rest of the dinner arguing over who was the best at Mario Kart which, of course, turned into an EPIC challenge between Kara and Carter so, after dinner, Cat took her book out onto the patio to read while Kara and their son adjourned to the living room to get the game set up. After, she'd settled into the comfortable chair, Cat suddenly realized the thought she'd had. Their son. She smiled to herself. Kara was everything she wanted in a partner and was, most definitely, the love of her life. And she made a decision that would change both of their lives but, hopefully, only for the better. And it was an easy decision to make.

Xx

It was Wednesday evening. Cat was sitting in one of the smaller meeting rooms at CatCo smiling at the small group of people who were also seated and waiting for her to speak. Kara was to Cat's right and around the table sat Alex, Winn, Paul and Briana.

"You're all my family now," Cat began softly. "And, as the members of New Beginnings' board of directors, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for volunteering your personal time. "This project has been on my mind for a long time but I could never seem to find the time to drive it forward. But now, with your support, we've begun the small steps towards the goal we've set for ourselves and for this city."

Everyone smiled and nodded.

"So," Kara went on. "Cat and I engaged a couple of commercial realty agents to start scoping out some potential locations for us. Our requirements were that we wanted something that was multi-story, solid and could be stripped and redesigned on the inside to hold a lot of small bedrooms, along with a clinic, a kitchen, some offices and meeting rooms, and a large multi-purpose space for classes of various types." She looked at her sister. "Alex, what kind of space do you need for the clinic?"

"Well," the doctor replied. "It would be like a primary care doctor's office. So enough space to hold an examination bed, a sink and some standard first aid supplies for starters. For safety, we should keep any drugs we have on premise in either a locked cabinet or a locked office. We'll only be seeing one patient at a time but Briana and I can alternate depending on the issue."

"Right," Brie added. "For minor stuff like lacerations etc. I can just treat and release. For anything more serious, Alex will have to see the person after I check them in. She'll make the diagnosis and refer to the hospital or treat onsite. I'll be the first line of triage. I can also work with Alex to make a list of everything we'll need on day one."

"Great, thank you!" Kara replied. "Paul, you can use one of the meeting rooms for your consultations, right?"

"Right," the man replied with a smile. "I'll just need a laptop, multifunction printer and plenty of paper."

Kara made a note of that on her iPad. "Cool. Winn, you'll just need the multi-function space for your self-defense classes. Is there any equipment you'll need?"

"Mats," Winn replied thoughtfully. "When I see the space, I can tell you how many. And a water fountain. After that we'll see how things go. I was thinking of splitting the classes up into all male and all female. I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable."

"What about showers and a locker room," Cat suggested. "Maybe we could offer hot water… and free laundry facilities to people too. And a resume service to help people get jobs. And we need a contract for clothes rental for job interviews and a hair stylist."

Kara was taking notes, her smile growing ever broader. "Wow," she said when Cat stopped talking. "With all this and trying to find a local Y that will let me give swimming lessons, we're going to be busy over the next few months."

Cat nodded. "I'd like to set an opening date, if we can all agree. What about this day, a year from now."

Everyone looked at each other and nodded. "A year from today is the goal," Alex replied. "Let's make this happen!"

"Ok," Kara added. "So the realtors have come back with some properties for us to review." Cat got up and connected her laptop to the room's overhead projector and the photographs of the properties began to scroll. Over the next hour, they ruled out three of the five initial properties so Cat sent a note to the realtors to amend their requirements.

It was almost eight by the time they'd finished but they left the meeting room with a sense of excitement and purpose that Kara hadn't felt in a while. Maybe it WAS time for herself and Winn to think about the expansion of Breathe. She made a note to talk to him again. Cat drove them back to Kara's apartment and they ordered in, content to just sit on the sofa together and eat Chinese.

"Kara?" Cat began as she nibbled on the end of a potsticker.

"Mmm?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

Kara saw the look on her girlfriend's face. "This seems serious," she replied. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes. Yes, everything's fine," Cat smiled. "I just… I need to ask you something and I understand if it's too soon and you're not ready but… I need to ask."

Kara nodded. "Ok, go on."

"I hate not having you at the house all the time so I was wondering if you'd like to move in with Carter and me."

The question hung between them for a moment as Kara put down her chopsticks and turned to face her girlfriend more fully. She was quiet for longer than Cat liked but then she suddenly smiled. "I supposed I'll just get a storage unit for anything of mine that we can't fit in your house."

"Actually," Cat replied with a huge grin. "I was thinking we could decide together what we want to have at the house and just store anything of yours or mine that won't fit."

Kara threw herself forward into Cat's arms and hugged her hard. "Yes, I'll move in with you and Carter."

"Thank you, Darling," Cat whispered. "I'm so happy you said yes. Not being able to sleep next to you every night was killing me."

"I know," the younger woman replied. "Me too. But…" She frowned. "Shouldn't we ask Carter first if he's ok with it."

"What?" Cat laughed. "You think he won't be thrilled? He loves you, Kara."

"And I love him, but we should still ask him."

"Ok," Cat kissed Kara's temple. "We'll ask him."

Xx

Cat sat, smiling broadly, in front of the board of CatCo Worldwide Media. The board members looked uncomfortable. Cat never smiled like that at meetings like these.

"I'm pleased," she began. "With the way the company is being run. I've stepped back a little over the past few weeks and my staff is doing an excellent job overall of taking care of things."

"Cat, you're not thinking of stepping down, are you?" one of the women asked, adjusting her jacket smartly.

"Oh God no," Cat replied. "But I'm easing up on the reins a little so I can pursue other things. I'd like James Olsen to take over as editor-in-chief. He will, of course, report to me but I want him to run things day to day."

The board members looked at each other. One of them spoke up. "Well, I don't think anyone here has any objection to it being Olsen but, what if he says no?"

Cat shrugged. "He already said yes. I knew you wouldn't have any objections so he starts on Monday. I'll be splitting my time between CatCo and New Beginnings from now on. Now, if we don't have anything else to discuss?" She got up briskly. "Have a nice day, Ladies and Gentlemen."

The woman who'd spoken leaned over to the man next to her. "I knew this would happen. I knew things would change with the new fling."

Xx

Kara Danvers was reading through her email but her mind kept straying to thoughts of Andrea. She couldn't get the shooting of her former best friend out of her mind so she picked up her iPhone and located a contact, hitting dial and taking a deep breath. It rang for a moment and then she was connected to a messaging service. _You've reached the confidential voicemail of Doctor Maggie Sawyer. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial nine-one-one. Otherwise, please leave a message at the tone._

"Maggie, this is Kara Danvers. I… I need to see you. Could you call me back so I can schedule something with you please? Thanks. Bye."

Kara tossed her phone onto her desk and closed her eyes, remembering the look on Andrea's face in those last few moments. The pain, the despair and the hatred. Kara never could have imagined that she'd ever see those expressions aimed at her from the woman she'd once loved. Her heart hurt. She wanted so badly to cry. But instead, she picked up her towel and headed for the pool. She had a client waiting.

Xx

Alex was in heaven… or at least the closest to it she thought she'd ever be. She was breathing hard but grinning, the aftershocks of an amazing orgasm still trembling through her as Briana kissed her way back up her body. She was careful of Alex's shoulder as she relaxed against her and kissed her.

"You look pretty pleased with yourself," Brie chuckled. Her hand wandered over Alex's breasts, down her stomach and then between her legs to stroke slowly and gently. "Want to go again?"

The doctor sighed and closed her eyes, feeling the stirring of arousal again as Briana's lips closed over one of her nipples and sucked it gently. "God, Briana," she whispered, arching her back a little as the nurse's fingers slipped inside her.

"Does that feel good?"

Alex nodded, parting her legs a little more and moaning softly as Briana's thumb lightly circled her clit. It was agonizingly slow but Alex didn't want it to stop. Her fingers clenched into the sheets and she gasped as her lover pushed deeper inside her.

"Alex? I want to you to wait," Briana whispered sensually. "I want you to wait until I tell you to come."

Brown eyes met hazel and Alex shook her head. "I don't think I can," she groaned, gasping again as her lover bit gently down on her nipple.

"Yes, you can," Brie replied. "I want you to wait for me." Briana shifted a little and took Alex's good hand. She straddled the doctor's thighs and guided Alex's fingers inside her. She sighed then and continue to move inside Alex as she rode her hand. They were both breathing hard. Alex's eyes were closed and her lips were parted as she concentrated on trying not to come.

"Fuck, Briana, I can't…" she groaned again and the nurse leaned forward to touch herself at the same time. She was close, so close that she sped up her thrusting, pushing Alex so hard that the doctor gritted her teeth and clenched down hard.

"Oh yes," Brie finally moaned. "Now, Alex." And they tumbled over the edge together, bodies jerking into each other, lips connecting hard and tongues clashing as they rode out the pleasure. Briana collapsed onto Alex then, snuggling close as the doctor chuckled.

"You are fucking amazing," Alex said, slightly awestruck. But Brie grinned and kissed her teasingly.

"You ain't seen nothing yet, Danvers!"


	36. Chapter 36

Drowning Chapter Thirty-Six

Just a little bit of organization and moving!

* * *

Kara slowly pushed the waiting room door open and stepped inside, taking a breath to center herself. She hitched her messenger bag higher on her shoulder and moved across the comfortable room to take a chair. There were other people waiting and, as usual, she exchanged brief smiles with those who looked up at her.

Most people were reading on their phones or checking Facebook but Kara never really did that while she was waiting. She simply closed her eyes and allowed herself some time to think before being called in. The walls were decorated in a calming grey and the chairs, which lined three of those walls, were wooden with burgundy upholstery. A child's table and chair set sat in one corner, surrounded by stuffed animals and books and across from her, there was a small windowed hatch into the office for making payments. Nothing had changed since her last visit to this practice.

Then a door to her left opened and a smiling face she immediately recognized appeared. "Hey." Doctor Maggie Sawyer lifted a hand to invite Kara to come with her. The therapist was a petite woman with long, dark hair, brown eyes and a beautiful smile that showed off a pair of adorable dimples. Kara felt herself smiling back, glad to see the woman with whom she'd shared a large part of her recent history.

"Hey," the blonde replied, getting up to follow Maggie down a hallway to her office. She settled into her normal chair. It fit like a worn-in, leather glove and she grinned as the therapist took a seat in her comfortable desk chair. "Feels like it's been years since I saw you last."

Maggie propped her feet up on a small stool and balanced a writing pad on her jeans-clad thighs. "It does, doesn't it?" she chuckled. "So, how are you doing?"

Kara sighed. "I have so much to tell you," she said. "So much has happened in the past few weeks."

"Really?" Maggie replied. "Well, I guess you should start at the beginning then."

The blonde nodded and began her story, starting with the day she met Cat at Breathe. She talked solidly for almost an hour as Maggie took notes and asked a small number of questions along the way and, when the session was almost over, the therapist nodded. "Wow, things really have moved along for you, Kara."

"It's amazing but sometimes overwhelming." Kara paused then. "Falling in love with Cat, the case against my rapists, what happened with Andrea. It's a lot."

Maggie nodded. "It really is but, you know, I'd like to start with Cat in your next session, if that's ok?"

"Start with Cat? Why?"

"Because YOU started with her," Maggie replied with a chuckle. "She's obviously very important to you. I'd like to talk about her."

"Ok, sure," the blonde nodded. "Thanks, Maggie. I appreciate your seeing me at such short notice."

"No problem," the therapist replied. "I just have one more question for you before you go, Kara."

"Sure."

"Have you had any suicidal thoughts recently?"

Kara met and held the therapist's eyes solidly. "I can honestly say that I haven't had a single moment where I've truly wanted to die since the last time I saw you."

"It's good to hear that. See you this time next week?" The dimples came out in full force and Kara smiled in return.

"Great. See you this time next week."

Xx

Cat leaned back in her chair and twirled her pen in her fingers, her phone pressed against her ear. "Well, I want something to buy rather than rent. If the foundation is going to pump money into a building, we're going to want to own it... I know, it's a pretty specific set of requirements but I've said it before; if we have to strip down the interior and rebuild, we will." She listened for a moment. "Really? I'd definitely be interesting in seeing that. Can you set up a viewing please?" Cat smiled widely. "Sounds good. Let me know when you can get us in and I'll try to get Kara to come with me." She chuckled softly. "I know, she's great at this stuff. Talk later. Bye."

The CEO looked down at her phone. She knew that Kara had gone to therapy and she didn't want to bother her, but she sent a quick text asking her girlfriend to call her when she had some time. To her surprised, Kara called immediately.

 _Hi Honey. You need me?_

Cat grinned widely. "Constantly," she purred. She cleared her throat and sobered then. "How was therapy?"

 _It was great. I didn't realize how much I miss talking to Maggie._

Cat heard a beeping noise in the background and realized that Kara was getting into her car. "That's good. Seeing her next week?"

 _Yeah. She has some questions and then we can ease into the bigger stuff._

"Excellent. So yeah, speaking of bigger stuff, the realtor called. She said she has a building she wants us to take a look at. It's downtown, red bricked and the owner wants a quick sale since he's working on buying somewhere else himself."

 _Cool. Does she need us today?_

"I'm waiting for her to call me back with a time. If you can't make it, I'll take pictures while I'm there."

 _Okey dokey. I've gotta run, Honey. I have a client in twenty. Text me the time if you get one and I'll let you know if I can make it._

"Ok, Darling. Talk later. Love you."

 _Love you too. Bye._

Xx

Alex was bored. She'd watched TV, she'd read a couple of chapters of her book and she'd even taken a walk but nothing had really held her interest. Briana was at work and Alex missed her. The nurse had been spending nights with Alex for the past week and now that she was back working nights again, Alex realized how much Briana had filled a gap in her life that had been vacant a long time.

The doctor got up and pulled her jacket on, gingerly sliding her injured arm into her sleeve. Alex had stopped wearing her sling the day before and had been trying to use her arm a little to start the process of rebuilding range of motion. So far it was going ok. The wound was healing well and the ache was tolerable without meds. She was ready to go home.

Alex dropped a quick text to Kara and then packed up the few things she had there before calling an Uber and heading back to her own apartment. As much as she liked being around Kara and appreciated all she'd done, Alex needed her own space. She'd always been like that... strong, independent and fearless. Kara had asked her once why she hadn't gone into law enforcement. Alex had laughed and told her sister that she wasn't good at following orders. Kara had agreed with a big smile.

The doctor unpacked her bag and then ordered some groceries to be delivered before taking a nap. She was glad to be home.

Xx

Carter wandered into Cat's home office, a chocolate bar gripped between his teeth, his hands occupied with a game on his iPhone. His Mom looked up from her laptop and smiled. "Hi Sweetheart. Your timing is perfect. I wanted to talk to you about something."

The young man paused his game and moved to take a seat at the small worktable across from her desk, chewing on his candy. "What is it, Mom?"

Cat joined him there, and she leaned on the table on her forearms, her fingers laced together. "Well, I asked Kara to move in with us and she was concerned that you might not want that, so she asked me to ask you before she says yes for sure."

Carter blinked. "You're asking me if it's ok for Kara to move in here?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm asking," Cat nodded.

The young man grinned and got up to hug his Mom. "Of course it's ok! Can she move in tomorrow?"

Cat laughed. "Well, maybe not tomorrow but very soon." She picked up her phone and called Kara. "Carter wants to know if you can move in tomorrow," she said when her girlfriend answered. Then she laughed. "Kara is thrilled and said that she'll start moving her stuff here asap." She smiled widely. "And she says she loves you."

"Tell her I love her too," Carter replied and Cat relayed the message, her eyes filling with tears of joy. Soon she'd have her family under one roof.

Xx

"Conor," Kara sighed as she took a step back from her client. "Keep your hands to yourself please. Otherwise, I'll have to pass you off to one of the male instructors. Please don't make me have to do that."

"Come on, Baby," Conor replied with a leering smile. "What do you expect, comin' up in here in that bathing suit with that gorgeous body?"

The instructor shook her head. "Seriously? This is my job. I can't teach in jeans and a sweater."

The man's face hardened. "How would you like to lose that job?" he replied, reaching for her again. But Kara side stepped, her temper snapping.

"You know what? I'm not even going to pass you off to another instructor. I DO NOT tolerate that behavior at my business. Get out before I call security."

Conor's face changed into a look of surprise. "Your business?"

"Correct. Now, I'm two seconds away from having your ass thrown out of here. Leave now. I'll have your membership cancelled and your remaining balance refunded. Kara's hands were on her hips and her blue eyes were flashing.

The man held up his hands and shrugged. "Whatever." He got out of the pool and sauntered toward the locker room, leaving Kara seething, waist deep in water.

"Asshole," she muttered but then she looked at the clock. If she hurried, she'd have just enough time to catch Cat at the building walk-through after all. She headed back to her office to her private changing room, texting Cat as she went, and changed into jeans and a light green, V-necked shirt. On the way out, she told the account manager to revoke and refund Conor's account and once Kara had squared that away and knew he'd never be back, she felt calmer. She was going building shopping with Cat and then later on that evening, she was going to pack a suitcase and bring her first lot of stuff over to her girlfriend's house.

Carter wanted asap? That's what he would get!

Xx

"Wow," Kara breathed softly as she stepped into the four-story, red-bricked building, hand in hand with her lover. The bottom floor was a large, mostly open-plan space with a small area of offices off to one side. The floors and walls were in good repair and Cat looked around, a smile on her face.

"Wow, indeed." She glanced over at the realtor. "Karen, is there anything we need to know about building restrictions?"

"No, Miss Grant. There's carte blanche on this property," the woman replied, looking at the folder of information she'd printed and brought with her. "Each upper level floor is divided into six rooms and there are also three full bathrooms on each of them. It used to be a hostel at one point."

"That would allow us to take in eighteen folks at a time," Kara said. "Or maybe depending on the size of the rooms, we could divide them down further and take twice as many people."

"Right," Cat agreed. "We could also have a bunk area for people just looking for somewhere for a night or two."

After touring the whole property, Cat and Kara asked for the information to be emailed to them so that everyone on the board could take a look. It was pretty perfect for what they needed and the price was even in the range Cat had figured, albeit the higher end. Karen led them out, feeling optimistic that she'd be making a sale.

"I really like this building," Kara said, once she and Cat were alone. "It's like it was almost tailored to what we need."

"Still needs a lot of work," Cat replied. "But less that I figured we'd have to do. The rooms upstairs are plenty big to divide into two and putting up framing and dry walling won't take long. We'd have a shorter list than we originally did."

"Right." Kara smiled and wrapped her arms around Cat's waist, tugging her close and kissing her. "This is going to be great." She paused then and tilted her head. "We should have LGBTQ+ counselling sessions. I want this facility to be completely inclusive."

"We need a mission statement," Cat replied with a nod. "Let me think about that."

"Ok," Kara replied happily. She released Cat and took out her phone to use her Maps app. "Hmmm... there's a swimming club nearby. I've had another idea. Why don't I do five hour-long swimming classes per week, a different time each day, but open it up to the public too. We could charge a small fee that will help toward the cost of hiring out the pool from the club. Actually, no, hold on... let me call Winn really quick."

She dialed Winn's contact and stepped away to talk to him. Cat waited until she came back and chuckled as Kara grinned widely. "You look like the Cheshire Cat," the CEO laughed.

"Well, Winn and I just agreed on something. The classes I teach at the swimming club will be part of the Breathe schedule, which means that we'll cover the cost of the pool. It'll also give our members another place to come if they happen to be out this way, but I anticipate that it'll be mostly folks from New Beginnings. I'll need to see the size of the pool but I could probably take about 20 per class."

"Fantastic, Kara," Cat praised. "And thank you."

"More than welcome. It's a way to offset some of the costs," the younger blonde replied. "Ok, time to get the ball rolling. I have to pack some stuff back at my place and bring it to yours. Alex texted me earlier. She's moved back to her place. I think she's ready to be back in her own bed."

"With Briana," Cat chuckled.

"Right," Kara laughed.

"Good. I'll make sure the building information gets disseminated to the board but I think they'll agree that this is the right property for us after the others we've looked at," the CEO added. "I'll also get in touch with the building contractor company I normally use at CatCo. I trust them and they'll be able to work through the permits we'll need for construction."

"Sounds like a plan," Kara nodded. "I'll see you at the house later on, Honey."

"Later, Darling."


	37. Chapter 37

Drowning Chapter Thirty-Seven

Fast forward a little bit…

* * *

Kara's life was fuller and busier than it had ever been. Over the previous two months, she'd moved in with Cat and Carter, bought a building, started working more closely with the lawyers on the rapists' prosecutions and met all her responsibilities at Breathe. She'd even managed to set aside an hour a week for therapy.

She was sitting on a box in the administration office at the New Beginnings building, waiting for the guys to finish installing internet, phones and cable TV. There was a lot going on around her. The board had worked with an architect and decided on the final plans for the building before completing the purchase. Now construction was underway. The inspection had revealed that the building was up to code and that it would be mostly cosmetic work so now, a month after purchase, the office space was complete and the bedrooms were about eighty percent there.

After further discussion, Winn and Kara had agreed that the large main floor area could be divided into two smaller rooms, which would allow more than one class to run at the same time. Cat had already secured a volunteer, a local artist in fact, to give free painting classes, while Winn had already reviewed the floor plan and put in the order for mats for his self-defense classes.

Kara's eyes were glued to her Macbook. She was making a list of everything they needed to buy and she was investigating suppliers but right at that moment, she was looking at the foundation's bank accounts. The overall balance was astounding to her. They had received a lot of money after the charity event a few months previously, but Cat had secured more money from her business contacts, citing that they could use the donation as a tax write-off, and had also donated a portion of her own considerable fortune to get everything up and running.

"Desks and chairs," she muttered to herself. "Two small conference tables and chairs." She pushed her blonde hair back behind her ear absently. "Six laptops. Two multi-function printers." She clicked to another tab in her spreadsheet. "Thirty-six full-sized beds, dressers and wardrobes, thirty-six nightstands. Hmmm… I think I need to take a trip to IKEA." She chuckled to herself. "Cat would shudder at the thought. But oh well. It's a good bulk-buy spot."

"Um… Miss Danvers?"

Kara looked up from her screen and smiled at the nervous looking young man who was twisting a baseball cap in his hands. "Hi. Can I help?"

"Yeah… I… I'm George from High Tech. Now that your fiber lines are in, I'm here to configure the routers and stuff for whole building wireless access."

"Oh great!" Kara grinned. "Do you need anything from me, George?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied shyly. "I'll need access to all the rooms in the building for signal testing."

"Ok, cool. Everything is unlocked right now. Just be careful of the construction going on, ok?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll also be coming back at some point to install the keycard system. Have to have all the doors installed before I can install the system."

"Makes sense. Thanks, George. I'll be around if you need anything." With a smile and a nod, George disappeared off to begin work. "Heh. Cute guy," Kara said to herself as she looked back down at her spreadsheet.

"Do I need to be worried?" Cat said from the doorway. She was holding up a box, from which the heavenly aroma of pizza was wafting. "If you're ever thinking of cheating on me, just remember, I'm the one that brings pizza."

Kara laughed and got up, trotting to the door to kiss her girlfriend and take the box. "Firstly, you know you're the only person I want, pizza or not. And secondly, yum, I'm starving. Thanks for bringing this, Honey."

"More than welcome," the CEO replied. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with a pair of sneakers.

"You look cute," Kara said, setting the pizza down on the box she'd been sitting on and went back to Cat to kiss her again. "New sneaks?"

"Yeah," Cat replied with a self-deprecating chuckle. "My other pair was getting old." She joined her girlfriend for a slice of pizza. "So, how are the lists going?"

"Pretty well actually," Kara replied. "The communications guys are almost done and the guy from the IT company just got here before you to set up the wireless internet. I also talked to Charlie this morning. He said that construction should be done in about another two weeks but we can start painting and getting the furniture into the bedrooms on the second floor right now. He just needs to know the colors and he'll send his guys to get the paint and get started."

"Good," Cat nodded. "Are you still happy with that light green?"

"Yeah," Kara replied as she grabbed a second slice. "We should get washable paint too since the rooms will have to be deep-cleaned between tenants."

"Agreed," the CEO smiled. "Anything you need help with right now?"

"Yes, please actually," Kara replied, wiping her fingers off on a napkin. "I need to step out for a while this afternoon for my therapy session. Can you hang here?"

"Sure," Cat agreed amiably. "I'll go through your lists and add anything else I can think of."

"Oh," Kara interjected. "Meals. I need to hire a catering company."

"A catering company?"

"Right," Kara giggled. "Unless you plan to cook for thirty-six people every day yourself?"

Cat shook her head. "Most certainly not. Ok, Darling. I'll leave that with you. By the way, I was thinking IKEA for the furniture. We need about six sofas for the living room area and they have some nice big ones."

Kara blinked. "Really?"

"Really. Want to go by there tomorrow and look?" Cat's head was tilted in that hopeful, adorable way that Kara loved.

"Sure, I'd love to."

Xx

Alex was wandering down a corridor, her nose stuck in a chart when she almost collided with her girlfriend who was waiting for her to go to lunch. "Oh, hey," the doctor smiled. Then she realized the look she was getting. "I'm late, aren't I," she stated. When there was no answer she winced. "Very late?"

"Thirty minutes," Brie replied, crossing her arms.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Briana. I got caught up in this case and I…" She stopped suddenly. "You know what? I don't want to talk about the patient. Let's just eat. I'm starving."

A short time later, they were sitting at an outside table, salads and coffee in front of them as they chatted about their day.

"Oh hey," Brie said with a smile. "Kara called me earlier. She's working on supply lists for NB and she wanted to know if we'd finished with ours for the clinic. Did you get everything you need added?"

"I think so," Alex replied, chewing a cherry tomato thoughtfully. "Let me just run over it one more time after lunch."

"Sure, if you let me know when you're done, I'll send it over to Kara with some names of good suppliers."

Alex's phone dinged. "That would be my new patient," she sighed, looking at the text message. "I'm sorry, Babe."

The nurse chuckled. "Part of the job. See you later." She began to wrap up Alex's lunch. I'll keep this on ice for you in my locker."

"Thanks," she kissed Brie's forehead and headed off to check on her patient.

Xx

"Tell me how you feel right now?" Maggie asked softly as she passed a box of Kleenex to her patient.

"Guilty," Kara replied as she wiped her eyes. "And angry. I'm so angry at those monsters for not only ruining part of my life, but for completely destroying Andrea. The woman I knew was sweet and kind. She was a good person."

Maggie frowned. "And you don't think she was a good person when she died?"

Kara considered that for a long moment. "I do think she was a good person. I just think that her goodness was tainted by anger and pain."

"You know," the therapist said with a little smile. "If you think about it, what Andrea did was just a more extreme version of when we yell at people for stupid little things when there's something else bothering us."

Kara shook her head. "I don't... understand."

Maggie leaned forward in her chair. "What I'm saying is that Andrea needed somewhere to direct her pain and anger. She needed someone to blame so, she chose you. A rational part of her knew that it wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault at all, Kara. She was lashing out because hurting others sometimes helps us feel better because we know we're not alone in our misery. She wanted to hurt you the way she was hurt and she knew that Cat is your greatest weakness..."

"Weakness?" Kara interrupted, bristling a little.

"And strength," Maggie added with a smile. "The people we love are always both, Kara."

The blonde nodded and relaxed back into her chair. "I just wish that she'd come to me. If she'd just talked with me, I may have been able to help her."

"Maybe," the therapist replied. "But don't let what-ifs haunt you. Andrea made her choices. You have to remember that."

"Yeah," Kara replied, gazing through the window at a blackbird perched on a tree branch right outside. It was gazing back at her. "Yeah."


	38. Chapter 38

Drowning Chapter Thirty-Eight

A sensitive chat and a bit of shopping.

Sorry about the delay on this chapter. I've been mad busy the past couple of weeks but I hope to get back to writing more regularly soon.

* * *

They were both sitting in the family room, Carter trying to focus on his Kindle book, while Kara browsed IKEA's website in preparation for her trip with Cat the next day.

Carter had been very quiet all afternoon and she'd, more than once, caught him staring off into space. Wondering why he was so pensive, she threw a cushion at his head, grinning adorably when he glared at her. "Dude, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he shrugged, his eyes back on the screen. "Just…" He looked at her again but just sighed. "Um… nothing. I'm fine."

Slim, blonde eyebrows lifted. "Nothing, huh? You look pretty dejected for someone who's fine." She shifted on the couch to sit closer to him. "Something with Rachel? Are you guys ok?"

For a long moment, Carter stayed quiet but then he looked down. "I think she's going to break up with me."

"Oh? Why do you think that?"

"She's been hanging out with another guy, tutoring him and stuff. I think she likes him."

Kara nodded. "I see. Have you asked her about it?"

Carter's eyes widened. "No! I can't ask her!" He shook his head. "What if she thinks I'm jealous or dumb or something."

"Jealous or dumb or something..." Kara repeated slowly. "Well, I know you're not dumb and I'm not sure what something else would be. Is it possible that maybe you're a tiny bit jealous and all Rachel is doing is literally being this guy's tutor? Can you tell me what you're feeling?"

"She's not really enthusiastic about kissing me. She used to kiss me all the time but not now." Carter said quietly. "I don't think she likes me anymore."

"Hmmm…" Kara mused. "It sounds like you really need to ask her. Part of being in a relationship is talking to the other person. You know? Sharing how you're feeling and asking for what you need if the other person doesn't realize."

"Is… Is that what you and my mom do?" Carter asked.

The blonde nodded with a smile. "Yeah, your mom and I talk all the time. It's one of the things I love so much about her. She listens as well as talks. Don't get me wrong, we have our misunderstandings too but we always clear them up pretty quickly."

"Is that why you slept in the spare room the other night?" the young man asked outright.

Kara sighed. "No, that was just me being me. I'm working through a lot emotionally and I just needed some space. Your Mom is incredibly understanding and respectful of that." She chuckled then. "BUT, I ended up going back to her halfway through the night anyway." She shrugged. "I quickly realized that she makes me feel so much better."

"I think it's the same for her," Carter replied thoughtfully. "I can honestly say that she's the happiest I've ever seen her. I mean, she's letting you take her to IKEA for cripes' sake!"

Kara nodded seriously. "I'm fully expecting her to need a lot of hand sanitizer though."

The young man grinned widely. "You know her so well. But anyway, getting back to Rachel. What should I say, Kara?"

The blonde pursed her lips as she thought about that. "You start off with 'Hey Honey, can we talk about us please?'. Hopefully she'll say yes. Then you say 'I just wanted to check in and make sure you're still happy. You seem a little reluctant to kiss me and I wanted to see if there was something wrong.'"

Carter nodded. "That sounds very grown up."

"Well, if you're old enough to date, you're old enough to speak like a grownup." Kara paused as a thought popped into her head. "Carter," she said slowly. "You and Rachel haven't… aren't… sleeping together, are you?"

"No, of course not!" the young man replied. "That's part of what I'm worried about. The guy she's tutoring is kinda… known for… wanting and doing stuff like that."

Kara's heart picked up and she had to stifle the urge to grab Carter's phone and call Rachel herself. Instead, she drew in and then let out a deep breath. "Sweetie, please talk to her, ok? Do it as soon as possible. And if you need any help, I'm here. Whatever you need, ok?"

Carter smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Kara. I love you."

The blonde leaned over and kissed the top of his head. "Love you too, Bud."

XX

"Oh my God." Cat stopped suddenly, watching the throngs of people milling in and out of IKEA like soldier ants. "It's…"

"Busy? Crowded? A lot?" Kara offered as she pulled a bottle of hand sanitizer out of her pocket and squirted some into Cat's hands and then her own. "Try to stay calm, Honey. We know what we want. We just want to see the display models and then order the quantities we need. There will be a lot of people in there but try not to punch anyone, ok?"

"Ok," Cat replied with a smile. She took Kara's hand, swinging their arms a little as they walked toward the doors. Once inside, they followed the foot-traffic flow until they reached the bedroom furniture. "You said Hemnes, right?"

"Right," Kara agreed, pushing her hair out of her face and wishing she'd tied it up. "The price is spot on for what we want. All we have to do is add the mattresses and slats. All in all, it's about six hundred bucks per bed. Add the dressers, bedside tables and other sundries and it works out at about a thousand dollars per room."

"Perfect," Cat replied as she examined the nightstand and chest of drawers. "And they're cheap enough to be easily replaceable if they get damaged." She nodded, satisfied. "Good, let's go ahead and look at the sofas. Oh, wait, who are we going to get to put all the furniture together?"

Kara grinned. "How are you with a screwdriver?"

Cat lifted a perfectly coiffed, blonde eyebrow. "If you mean the alcoholic cocktail, I'm phenomenal. Any other type, I'd have to say poor."

The younger woman laughed. "Good thing I hired eight burley guys to set up the rooms for us then, isn't it?" She elbowed her girlfriend teasingly. "And you're not allowed to ogle them."

"I wouldn't dream of it!" the CEO replied indignantly. Then she grinned. "When did you say they were coming?"

Kara rolled her eyes and then dragged Cat along by the hand. "Couches. Now."

XX

Sitting with Kara in the car, Cat sucked on a milkshake as she watched her girlfriend go through and mark off the items they'd ordered at IKEA. Aside from the bedroom furniture, they'd also picked up bed clothes and rugs for each room, since the floors were laminate wood. Kara had also amended her IT order to add public computers in the open living room area of New Beginnings so she had picked out computer desks too. Cat wondered if they could find someone to volunteer some time to give computer classes and mentioned it to her girlfriend. Kara just grinned and added it to her services sheet.

"I can't believe we finished furnishing the place for fifty thousand bucks," she said, happily. The office furniture I ordered will be here in the next few days too. Wow, I feel like we can open earlier than we planned."

"Maybe," Cat agreed. "Let's not rush it though. Besides…" She paused a moment. "There's one pretty huge thing we haven't really talked about yet."

"Which is?" Kara asked.

"How do we decide who gets a room?"

The younger woman's eyes lifted and she took a breath as she blinked. "I… I don't know…" She thought about it for a moment. "Maybe Alex and Briana can help us there," she suggested. "I bet they could suggest some kind of social worker or someone who has contacts."

"Maybe," Cat agreed. "I think we should discuss it at the board meeting on Friday. We have a lot of stuff to go through with everyone."

"Right," Kara agreed. "I'll lay out an agenda and send it out." She looked at her watch. "But for now, I need to get back. I have a client at two."

"Kara," Cat said, putting a hand on her girlfriend's knee. "If trying to juggle all this is too much, I can get us some more help."

But Kara shook her head. "I love keeping busy. It keeps the nightmares at bay. I'm dreaming of office supplies and spreadsheets these days." She tucked her MacBook away, started the car and headed toward the parking lot exit. "I'll let you know if I need more help."

"Ok," Cat replied with a smile. "But I think you're amazing, you know that? You're like some sort of supergirl."

"Shouldn't that be superwoman?" Kara chuckled. "I may be younger than you are but I AM a grownup after all… or didn't last night's bed-sports prove that?"

"They most certainly did," Cat chuckled. "And you most certainly are."

"Did Carter mention anything to you about Rachel?" Kara asked. "He and I had a talk yesterday afternoon which was kinda concerning. He thinks that Rachel is seeing a guy she's tutoring and it sounds like this guy is a bit of a hound. I have to admit I was a bit worried by what he told me."

"Really?" Cat mused. "Do we need to do anything?"

"I don't think so," the younger blonde replied as she smoothly changed lanes to take their exit. "But I told him to talk to her and to just ask me if he needs anything."

"Good," Cat nodded faintly. "Thank you." She looked at Kara then. "But if this kid does anything to hurt Rachel or Carter…"

"I'll kick his ass crossways 'til Sunday," Kara replied seriously. "Or better still, I'll let Winn do it."

Just then Kara's phone rang and she hit the button on her steering wheel to answer the call. "Hello, this is a Kara Danvers, you're on speaker."

 _Miss Danvers, this is George. I wanted to see if there was any update on the building being ready for the keycard system._

Kara glanced at Cat, knowing that she'd received the latest update on construction. "Miss Grant is with me. I'll let her answer that, George."

"Hello, George," Cat began. "I think we're good to go. Construction should be completely finished by the end of next week but to my knowledge, the doors are all installed. Let me double check with my foreman and get back to you shortly. How long will it take to get everything in place?"

 _Best part of five days. The installation will take about four days and then I'll need a day to test each door and reader. I'll also need to know the number of staff keycards you'll need. They'll have access to everything. But the resident keycards will only have access to one bedroom and the public 'll be providing training sessions for your staff on how to program the cards too._

"Ok, sounds good," Kara replied. "We'll let you know as soon as possible, George."

 _You got it, Ladies. Looking forward to hearing from you._

"Staff," Cat murmured as Kara hung up. "I guess we should decide what staff we need at some point."

"The people we hire will have to have health insurance and benefits. Winn and I provide all that for the staff at Breathe." Kara paused then. "Why don't we just get CatCo HR to find folks for us? They're internal to your company right?"

"Right," Cat replied. "I can call Janine once we've decided what staff we need."

"Cool." Kara hit the remote clipped to her visor to open the gates of their house and drop Cat off. They shared a kiss and then Kara headed off to meet her client at Breathe.


	39. Chapter 39

Drowning – Part 39

Some trial and a misunderstanding!

Writing legal stuff is hard!

* * *

The case was underway, a whole lot quicker than Cat and Kara had expected. Kara had been through a couple of rounds of phone interviews with the Stockwells about that night, that had shattered her all over again as she relived the details. But Cat was there every night, as always, to hold her through her tears. She was also having nightmares again but, she had to laugh a little because they were mixed now. Not only was she dreaming about the rapes but also about realizing she was naked while giving New Beginnings' dedication speech.

Kara was sitting quietly in a car with Cat as they hurtled toward the small airport where the CatCo jet was hangered. The younger blonde would have been happy to fly commercial to New York but Cat had insisted. She knew that the experience would be difficult, to say the least, and she wanted Kara to have some comfort and quiet.

"I can't believe we're finally going to trial," Kara murmured as she gazed out the window. "It's really happening."

Cat took her hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing gently. "How are you holding up?" she asked.

"I'm ok," Kara shrugged. "I can't be sure I'll be that way tomorrow but..."

"Yeah, I know," Cat nodded. "But you're strong, Kara. You'll get through this."

The car pulled up to the jet and their driver quickly passed their luggage to the flight attendant to stow, as Cat and Kara trotted up the steps to the compact but plush interior. They exchanged pleasantries with the flight crew before settling into seats facing each other. The plane was airborne a few minutes later and then the flight attendant served them coffee and bagels.

"The office furniture came in yesterday evening," Kara said as she spread cream cheese with a small knife. "I was worried that it wouldn't fit the offices but it turned out pretty well."

"That's good," Cat replied, her eyes focused out the window and her fingers clamped on the arm of her seat.

"And Carter talked to Rachel. He said he wasn't able to really get an answer out of her. I'm wondering if maybe we should speak to her parents. I'm worried."

"Ok," Cat replied, her fingers clamping down harder as a jolt of turbulence made her stomach drop. She swallowed and closed her eyes, ignoring her breakfast in favor of holding on for dear life.

"Honey? Are you ok?" the younger blonde asked curiously.

"Yes," Cat got out through gritted teeth. "Fine."

"Oh my God," Kara suddenly exclaimed. "Cat, are you afraid of flying? Why didn't you tell me? I could have come alone!"

"I'm not... afraid of flying," the CEO replied with a grimace. "It's just not my... favorite thing to do."

Kara got up and moved to the seat beside her girlfriend to take her hand. "You know, statistically speaking, flying is the safest way to travel."

"So I've heard," Cat replied unhappily. "But that doesn't make me feel any better. Also, statistically speaking, most plane crashes end in fatalities."

"Hon, we're not going to crash," the younger woman chuckled.

Another severe jolt of turbulence almost made Cat throw up and she kept her eyes closed. "It'll be fine," she whispered to herself. "Everything is fine."

Xx

"So, you're not dead, I see," Carter said with a chuckle. "I can't believe you didn't tell Kara you're afraid of flying."

Cat rolled her eyes and adjusted her phone so she could see her Son better. "Would you tell Rachel if you were afraid of flying?"

"Hmmm," the young man shook his head slowly. "I see your point. Where is Kara anyway?"

"In the shower," Cat replied, popping a Belgian chocolate into her mouth and chewing slowly. There were definite perks to being able to afford a suite at the best hotel in New York. "She's feeling a bit nervous about the trial preparation."

"Mom?" Carter said softly. "I know Kara hasn't told me everything about stuff that's happened to her but... she's ok, right?"

Cat blew out a long breath and then pursed her lips. "Kara's been through a lot in her life, Sweetheart, and some of it was really terrible. She's still recovering." She smiled then. "This trial, getting justice for herself and the other victims of those men's assaults, will hopefully help her to find some sort of closure."

The bathroom door opened and Kara stepped out, dressed in a white fluffy robe and towel-drying her long hair as Carter moved closer to his screen. "Mom, you and Kara keep saying assaults but... was... was she raped?"

The younger woman froze and her eyes moved to Cat's, filling instantly with tears. "Kara, it's ok," Cat said softly, holding her hand out. "Carter is worried about you and has questions, but only if you feel like you can answer. Otherwise, it can wait 'til we get home."

Slowly, Kara took her girlfriend's hand and moved to sit next to her on the bed. "Hi, Bud," she said, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I was raped, and it's been really hard to process, but they hurt other women too and I want to help send them to prison."

Carter blinked a little, not sure what to say. Then his eyes lowered. "I'm so sorry, Kara."

The younger blonde smiled then. "You know something? What happened to me was terrible but it's also one of the many things that led me to you and your Mom. And I'm so grateful to have the both of you in my life."

Cat put her arm around Kara's shoulder and kissed her temple. "And we're so grateful to have you too."

"Love you, Kara," Carter added with a sweet smile.

Xx

"So, you're saying that you didn't try to stop him?"

"That's not what I said." Kara was calmly sitting in the witness stand, her legs crossed and her body language open. The Stockwells had spent the previous three days drilling her in delivery of her testimony. She was speaking clearly, in thoughtful, declarative sentences. No tangents or rambling, which was especially hard for Kara when she was nervous and right then, she was doing a wonderful job or acting like she wasn't terrified. She had her hands clasped loosely in her lap to hide the fact that they were shaking. Cat was sitting in the front row behind the prosecution's table and she was taking notes on a pad for the story she was going to write for the National City Tribune.

"You just said that you didn't struggle," the lawyer for the defense replied with a smirk.

Kara straightened in her seat and then relaxed again. "What I said was, by the time he was taking his turn, I was in so much pain that it was easier to not struggle. I was on the verge of unconsciousness, bitten, burned, bleeding, bruised, begging for them to stop and leave me alone..." She pinned the smarmy looking man with intense blue eyes. Then her voice became louder. "HE. RAPED. ME. ANYWAY. Despite my pleading with him."

"So, Miss Danvers, what were you wearing that night?"

"Pajamas," Kara replied, a little sarcastically as she seriously wondered what that had to do with anything.

The lawyer laughed a little. "I meant when you were out with your sister. Skirt? Blouse? Heels?"

"I was wearing jeans and a button up shirt with sneakers. I'd just finished competing that day. My muscles were aching so I decided to leave the heels back in my hotel room."

"And were you showing a little bit of flesh, Miss Danvers? Maybe a button or two open, showing off some cleavage as a lot of young women like to do?"

Janet Stockwell got up so abruptly that she almost knocked her chair over. "OBJECTION! Your Honor, is defense counsel trying to infer that Miss Danvers was... what? Leading the defendants on in jeans and a button up? Come on!"

The judge shook her head angrily. "Sustained. Mr. Cleary, do you actually have a question for Miss Danvers that doesn't make you sound like a chauvinistic pig?"

The lawyer bristled and regrouped. "Miss Danvers, why did you leave the hospital and return to the United States?"

Kara met Cat's eyes and her girlfriend gave her an encouraging nod. "Because I was completely traumatized and my sister and coach wanted me to return to the United States with them for the rest of my treatment. I had given my statement to the local police and they'd led me to believe that there was no evidence of wrong doing, which was of course a lie."

The judge shook her head again and made some notes on her pad but Cleary was apparently still optimistic. "How do you know it was a lie?"

It was all Kara could do to stop herself from rolling her eyes and calling him an idiot. "Because, I know I was raped and tortured and raped and tortured again for hours in one single room. The defendants didn't wear condoms and I can guarantee you they didn't stick around to clean anything up." She made a point of making eye contact with each of the jury members. "So HOW on Earth COULD there have been NO evidence? It was a huge cover up to get the defendants off and every survivor who will be giving evidence at this trial will say the same." She looked back to him. "Mr. Cleary, you can ask me as many times as you want. You can make all the accusations you want against me and try as much as you like to make it my fault, but the bottom line is, those four men raped and beat and tortured multiple women. One woman DIED from her injuries. IT IS NOT MINE NOR THE OTHER WOMEN'S FAULT!"

Cat smiled and nodded as Kara's voice echoed around the court room. Cleary nodded too. "Thank you, Miss Danvers. Nothing further, you Honor." He returned to his seat and Janet got up to move slowly to Kara, giving her a moment to calm down and take a drink from the water glass to her right.

"Kara," she said, her voice soft. "We've heard a lot about the facts of what happened. We're nearing the end of your testimony but there's one thing neither one of the lawyers has asked you and I'd like to address it now if you feel up to it? It will also put to bed Mr. Cleary's inference of man-baiting." She saw a look of surprise cross Kara's face but it was quickly masked with confidence again.

"Please, go ahead," the blonde replied.

"Are you a lesbian, Kara?"

"Yes, I am."

"Have you ever slept with a man?"

"Just once."

"And when was that?"

"A long time ago. I've only slept with women since."

Janet nodded and glanced at Cat. "And you're in a committed relationship now?"

The question brought a big smile to Kara's face. "Yes, I'm in a fantastic relationship and I'm very happy."

"So, it's safe to say, Kara, that there was no way that you would ever have encouraged any man to take advantage of you? Or make him believe that you were inviting sex?"

"That's correct," the young blonde replied, suddenly understanding the line of questioning. "Definitely not. Even if I wasn't in a relationship, I'd never invite a man to be intimate with me."

"And your relationship with your girlfriend, Kara. Does she know that you were raped?"

Kara nodded again. "Yes, she knows. She's had to deal with the emotional meltdowns and the nightmares I have. It took me a long time to even be intimate with her because I was so afraid of her seeing the scars on my body and thinking that I was disgusting."

Janet went back to her table and opened a paper folder to pull out some photographs. "You Honor, I'd like to enter into evidence exhibits eighteen a, b c, and d." She walked slowly up and down the jury box holding the photos up so they could see. "Exhibits eighteen a and b are photographs taken at the hospital in two-thousand fourteen right after Kara's assault." Each juror took and examined the photographs of the cuts and bruises and burns on Kara's torso. Then she lifted the second two photographs. "C and d were taken two days ago."

Cat's head snapped up and she looked at Kara who nodded slightly and gave her a little smile. "Those pictures," Kara said. "… is how I look now when I take off my shirt. I will have to live with the reminder of my torture for the rest of my life. And so will the woman I love. Every woman who survived their torture will have to."

Janet smiled at Kara and nodded. "That's all I have for now, Kara. Thank you for your candor."

The judge looked up from her notes and at Kara. "Thank you, Miss Danvers. You may step down."

"Thank you, Your Honor," the blonde replied but for a moment, she wondered if her legs would actually hold her up. She looked at the deputy standing nearby and beckoned to him. "Would you mind please helping me?" she asked quietly. "I'm not sure if I can stand on my own right now."

"Of course, Ma'am," he replied kindly and gently grasped her arm to help her stand and walk back to her seat. Regina Stockwell poured her a glass of water and passed it to her, squeezing her hand as she reached out, and smiling.

Xx

Kara was sleeping. Hard. After testifying, Cat had brought her back to the hotel and Kara had basically fallen, almost unconscious, onto the bed and had been sleeping for the past seven hours. Cat had snoozed for a while and called Carter and now she was sitting at the hotel bar, having a glass of scotch and trying to process everything she'd heard.

Her girlfriend had told her a lot about what had happened four years previously but over the last few days, she'd heard more and more detail. Those details had been uncovered through medical records and eye witness accounts. And Winn hadn't even testified yet. He was due to arrive in New York in two days' time if the other testimonies didn't run late. She'd told him the CatCo jet would pick him up whenever the date was confirmed.

Cat was deep in thought when she was suddenly distracted by a male voice and another scotch being placed in front of her. "Let me buy you a drink."

The newcomer was tall and attractive with deep blue eyes and an even deeper tan. He was wearing dress pants and a polo shirt and his watch was probably worth more than the CatCo jet. "I'm not really in the mood for company."

"I saw you at court today," he replied. "That poor girl's testimony... Kara Danvers? Broke my heart."

Cat nodded and picked up her fresh drink to take a healthy sip. "Right," she replied. "She was so brave, talking about everything she'd been through. I'm honestly not sure I could have done that, had I been in her position."

"Seems like she took her strength from you... Cat Grant," he said with a little smile.

"Ah," Cat chuckled. "You know who I am."

That made him smile even more broadly. "You should know who I am too, Cat. We met in a bar a few years back and shared... a good time together at a hotel. My name is Steve Moyer."

Cat just shrugged. "Sorry. My memory is not what it used to be."

Steve leaned on the bar and reached out to touch the lapel of Cat's silk blouse. "I was wondering if maybe you and I could take these drinks to your room with maybe a bottle of champagne, and... get reacquainted?"

"Well, Steve," Cat smiled. "I'm flattered…" She reached out to straighten his tie, but before she could finish her sentence, she heard a gasp from behind her and turned to find Kara standing there, her hand covering her mouth. Cat only realized what her girlfriend had thought she was hearing when she suddenly turned and ran.

"Hey, that was that Danvers kid," Steve blurted out in surprise.

"That WOMAN," Cat replied angrily. "Is the love of my life. Goodnight, Steve."

But by the time Cat had made it across the lobby to the front door, Kara was gone.


	40. Chapter 40

Drowning Chapter Forty

Well, Folks, the last chapter seems to have had a controversial ending. I received a few… shall I say displeased… guest comments, which at first upset me and then actually flattered me. Those people must care about my characters to send me "hate mail" so I guess I'm doing something right! 😉

I'm also coming near to the end of this story. I have something else in planning that I'd like to get started on. By the way, I'm not a lawyer so I made up the legal stuff too.

* * *

Kara was moving fast, weaving around the people on the crowded street outside the hotel. She was shocked, her mind still in a holding pattern at the image of Cat touching the man's tie and saying she was flattered by his attentions.

But as she slowly calmed down, a different image began to take over. It was Cat's face and eyes as they looked at her every day with the profound love that Kara knew and believed she felt. Her steps slowed, and she moved to the left, out of the flow of foot-traffic as she took a breath and shook her head. Her logical mind kicked in then and she remembered all the times she'd seen Cat employ the look and body language she'd just seen at the hotel. It was when she was trying to let people down without hurting or humiliating them. Over the previous couple of months of working with Cat in a professional capacity, she'd seen the way Cat used her charm and self-confidence to talk to people and even in some cases, manipulate them so she could get what she needed. Even at the courthouse, her girlfriend had spoken to the press on Kara's behalf once or twice and she'd heard that same silky tone and…

"Shit," Kara muttered out loud as she turned and headed back in the direction of the hotel.

Xx

Cat was at a loss. She was standing outside the hotel on the busy street with her phone in her hand, Kara's contact waiting on the screen. She'd walked a couple of blocks in both directions but hadn't been able to find her girlfriend. Now, she was torn between wanting to call and being hurt that Kara had jumped to a conclusion that was false.

"Shit," she murmured, looking down at the screen again and she was just about to call when a soft voice caught her attention.

"Cat?"

Her head snapped up and she immediately grabbed Kara and pulled her into a hug that made the younger woman's bones creak. "Oh, thank God! I tried to find you, but I couldn't. Are you ok?" She pulled back to hold her girlfriend by the upper arms and look her over. Then she pulled back completely. "Kara…"

"I'm an idiot," Kara interrupted. She took a breath and reached out to take Cat's hand rubbing her thumb over the soft skin. "You were about to tell that guy to take a hike, weren't you."

Cat couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head. "Not in those words exactly, but essentially, yes."

"I got jealous," Kara said with a little frown. "He looked like he was getting a little too familiar with you."

The CEO nodded. "I'm not going to lie to you, Kara. He approached me for sex because I'd slept with him before, a long time ago, well before you and I were together. I didn't even remember him until he told me, and I was just about to tell him no when you arrived."

Kara nodded, lips pursed as her eyes found the tips of Cat's shoes and stayed there. "I get it."

"Darling, look at me," Cat said, reaching out to stroke her girlfriend's cheek and smiling as the blue eyes she loved lifted, brimming with tears. "I have other men and women in my past. I know you know that. But, Kara, I love YOU. And only you. You're the only person in this world that I want to be with."

A little smile rose to Kara's lips as she pulled Cat into another hug. "I love you too. And I'm sorry I ran. I'm trying to work on that."

Cat laughed softly. "I know, Darling. It's ok. You know I'll always be here waiting for you to come back to me." Then she laughed harder as Kara's stomach growled dramatically. "I hear that you're hungry. Want to get some dinner? I know it's late, but this is New York. I'm sure we can scare something up."

"That sounds great and you know… I could REALLY do with a drink."

"I couldn't agree more," Cat replied. She kissed her girlfriend and then took her hand. "Let's see what we can find."

XX

"Oh my God…" Kara groaned as her body relaxed bonelessly into Cat's arms. "Makeup sex is awesome."

Cat laughed, her own breathing still labored. "Yeah, wow." She trailed her fingertips up and down her girlfriend's back, grinning as Kara giggled and squirmed. "Ticklish?"

"A little." Kara sighed softly and kissed Cat's breast. "Part of me doesn't want to go back to that courtroom tomorrow. Seeing them all sitting there in their expensive suits and ties with their clean-cut personas. It makes me want to puke."

"But on the other hand, I'm quite enjoying how much of an idiot their lawyer is," Cat pointed out. "He's so desperate that he's grasping at straws. They're screwed, Kara, and no amount of expensive cologne is going to save them."

"You really think so?" the younger woman asked.

"I obviously can't predict an outcome but any verdict other than guilty just doesn't make sense at this point." Cat shrugged then. "The jury were swayed by your testimony. I'm very good at reading people and, even if they weren't swayed before, they really listened to you." She picked up her glass of wine from the nightstand a took a sip. "Plus, Winn is so likeable, I think he'll sway it too."

"Yeah," Kara replied. "That's true."

"Look, Darling, if you don't want to go, that's ok. You don't have to go unless you're called again." Kara rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling, rubbing her forehead absently but she didn't answer so Cat snuggled against her. "Think about it, ok?"

Xx

Carter took a seat next to his girlfriend and smiled at her. "Glad to be back at school?"

Rachel shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I guess."

"Want to go to a movie tonight?"

"I can't. I'm busy."

Carter shook his head and tossed his pencil onto the desk. "Tutoring again, I suppose. Look, Rachel, do you just want to break up? I'm getting tired of you blowing me off for him."

For a moment, Rachel said nothing but then she looked over at Carter, meeting his eyes. "I think that might be best. You're a really great guy, Carter, but I'm just not feeling this anymore. I've grown out of you."

The young man's face fell. "Are you having sex with him? Is that why you don't want me anymore? Because I'm not ready to sleep with you?"

Again, Rachel didn't answer. Instead, she gathered her things, got up and moved to another seat.

"Great, just great," Carter muttered, as he leaned back in his chair. "This sucks." He pulled out his phone then and opened his text conversation with Kara, telling her what just happened. He knew she was in court so he didn't expect an answer right away.

Xx

It was the final day of witness statements and Janet had held the big guns for last. Winn was pacing anxiously outside the door of the courtroom, waiting to be called. He straightened his tie for the nth time and took a seat, crossing his legs, only to stand up and pace again. It was over an hour before the door opened and he was asked to come in and take the stand. As he stepped into the box, he met Kara's eyes and she smiled a little.

"Mr. Schott," Janet said, straightening to her full height. "Can you please state your full name and occupation for the court?"

Winn nodded. "My name is Winslow Schott Junior. I'm the co-owner and general manager of Breathe Fitness and Spa in National City, California."

"Thank you. Mr. Schott, could you give us a little of your background also?"

"I'm a former Olympic athlete. I've won a number of medals in martial arts. When I retired, myself and Kara Danvers..." He indicated in the direction of his best friend. "Pooled our resources to open Breathe three years ago."

Janet nodded and moved a little closer to him. "And can you tell me how you met, Kara Danvers originally?"

"We met at the two thousand and fourteen Olympic Games. I met her at the Olympic Village and we became friends. Then we just happened to have adjoining rooms at the same hotel after the games were finished."

"So, you and Kara have never had a sexual relationship?" The lawyer glanced over at Kara who was shaking her head.

"No, Ma'am," Winn replied. "Kara is gay and so am I. I have a husband and child."

"Was she single back in two thousand and fourteen?"

The man nodded and settled in his seat more comfortably. "Yes, she was single. In fact, Kara and I talked about how she..." He paused and looked to Kara again, but she smiled and nodded. "She was so focused on training that she'd barely even kissed anyone, let alone had a relationship."

"So, she was a virgin then?" Janet asked.

"We didn't discuss it and I wouldn't like to speculate," Winn replied. "But I know she wasn't having sex at that time."

Janet nodded again. "Can you tell us what happened on the night in question?"

The man took a breath and nodded. "It was the night of closing ceremony. I had moved to the hotel from the Olympic Village and had gone out drinking with my Team USA friends. It was easily after midnight before I got back to my room and I fell into bed and went to sleep."

Janet rested her hands on the rail of the witness box and leaned forward. "And did you hear anything? Did something wake you up?"

"Objection, leading the witness," Cleary shouted, standing up indignantly.

"Sustained," the judge ruled.

"Can you tell me what happened next?" Janet said, rephrasing with a small smile.

"Yes," Winn replied. "Something woke me up. I heard someone crying out. I lay in bed for a while, trying to figure out if it was just someone's television or if someone was in trouble." He played with the end of his tie. "Then I heard someone screaming so I got out of bed and went outside into the corridor. I pretty much knew it was Kara. I recognized her voice and it was too close to be anyone else."

He paused to take a drink of water. The memories were painful and he felt terrible having to describe it all over again in front of Kara. Then there was Cat. Winn wasn't sure how much detail Cat knew.

"Do you need a break, Mr. Schott?" Regina Stockwell asked from the prosecution table.

"Thank you, no," the man replied, shaking his head.

"Take your time, Winn," Janet said gently. "Just tell us exactly what you remember."

Winn looked to the judge and then to the jury. "It was the most horrific night of my life," he began. "When I got out into the corridor, I immediately went to Kara's door and put my ear against it. I could hear her begging for someone to stop and I could hear male voices. I started pounding on the door, yelling for Kara to open it, for someone to open it." He sighed softly. "Then I couldn't hear Kara's voice anymore and I got so scared, I just kept pounding harder. And then the door flew open and four guys came at me, punching and kicking. I tried to fight back but it was an enclosed space and eventually, I fell unconscious on the floor." He took another sip of water. "But I wasn't out for long and when I got up and went into Kara's room, I..." His voice broke when he looked at his best friend again, seeing the tears on her cheeks, and he cleared his throat. "She was broken," he went on softly. "She was sitting on the bed with a sheet wrapped around her body. I could tell that she was naked and I could see blood seeping through the sheet, at her chest, her shoulder and betw... between her legs."

Cat grabbed Kara's hand and squeezed it as the younger woman just gazed at Winn, giving him a little nod every now and again.

"I sat next to her and I could hear some other people outside, calling the police and an ambulance but I didn't want to leave her. I just sat with her until the paramedics arrived and she was taken away. I went to the hospital to be treated too but I barely saw her while I was there. After that, she went back to the States and I didn't see her again until I got back myself."

Janet nodded and turned back to look at the jury. "Mr. Schott, is it your opinion that her rapists took Kara's virginity?"

Winn looked shocked for a moment... "I... I don't..."

"Just a yes or no will be fine. Is it your opinion that Kara's rapists took her virginity?"

Again, Winn glanced at Kara, but she was looking down at her hands. "Yes."

Janet nodded, her face serious. "Thank you, Winn. Your Honor, I have nothing further."

The judge made a note on her pad and then looked over at the defense counsel. "Mr. Cleary, your witness."

Slowly, Cleary stood up and approached the witness box. "Mr. Schott. You testified that you'd been drinking a lot that night, correct?"

"Correct," the man replied with a nod.

"If that's the case, how can you be sure that the defendants are the men who came out of Miss Danvers' room that night? How can you be sure that they were the men who assaulted you?"

Winn chuckled. "Well, firstly, they were the biggest assholes of all the athletes there. Everyone knew who they were. Secondly, I had slept enough to sober up. And thirdly, Mr. Cleary, every detail of that night is seared into my memory. I could pick those men out in a crowded room. Your clients are, without a doubt in my mind, the men who raped Kara Danvers and who assaulted and killed other women."

Cat leaned over to Kara and spoke into her ear. "This lawyer is so out of choices. He should just concede and let us all go home."

Cleary sighed and turned back to drop into his seat. "Nothing further, Your Honor."

The judge set her pen down and sighed. "Mr Schott, you're excused. Counselors, approach the bench please."

Cleary and the Stockwells moved to stand in front of the judge as she turned off her microphone. "Mr. Cleary, it seems to me that your clients should have just taken a plea bargain and be done with it. What the hell are we doing here?"

"Slam dunking," Janet muttered as she twirled her pen in her fingers. "They're just lucky there's no death penalty in New York."

The judge sighed again. "Ok, where are we on witnesses?"

"I'm done," Cleary stated.

"Me too," Janet added.

"Ok. Step back and rest your cases." She turned her microphone on again. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this trial is almost over."

"Prosecution rests," Janet said.

"Defense rests," Cleary said.

The judge slammed her gavel down. "Closing arguments tomorrow morning at nine. We're adjourned 'til then."


	41. Chapter 41

Drowning Chapter Forty-One

A lot of forward motion in a lot of areas in this chapter. I'll probably have another three or four chapters maybe to try to wrap everything else!

Thanks for all the comments you guys are leaving for me on this fic. I love you all and read every one, but sometimes can't respond to them all.

* * *

"You're moving away from National City?" Carter asked, blinking in shock.

"Yeah," Rachel looked down at her hands, speaking in a low voice. "My Dad has a job… it's some sort of confidential government work and I'm not allowed to talk about it but I overheard him one night and I think it has something to do with aliens."

"Aliens?" Carter blinked again. "But, there's no such thing as aliens!"

Rachel shrugged. "Who knows. Anyway, I wasn't allowed to say anything until it was confirmed we're moving so I've been keeping my mouth shut. The reason why I've been hanging with Robert and tutoring him is…" She looked around at the coffee shop's other patrons and lowered her voice even further. "His Dad is in the same line of work and they needed someone in the family…." She made quotes in the air. "To work with him." She looked down again. "Carter, I'm so sorry. I was trying to make this easier on us both by pulling away and I know I hurt you. I'm not sleeping with Rob or anyone else. I promise."

"When are you leaving?" Carter asked.

"Now."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know. I won't even know myself until I get there."

"So, I'll never see you again?" Carter sniffled a little, wiping impatiently at his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Carter," Rachel whispered, not trusting her own voice. "I really REALLY like you but no. We'll never see each other again." She slowly stood up and picked up her bag. Then she leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "Bye, Carter. I'll never forget you."

"Bye," the young man whispered in return. Then he watched as his first love walked out the door with a longing glance back at him.

Carter sat at the table for a while as he finished his hot chocolate, reading back through the text messages he and Rachel had shared and trying desperately not to cry. Finally, he called an Uber to take him home.

"Hey, Hon," Martina greeted as he came through the kitchen. She was at the counter, mixing the ingredients for her famous pound cake but she stopped when she saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Carter rounded the counter and walked into her arms for a hug. "Rachel and I broke up. She's moving away from National City and I won't see her again."

"I'm so sorry," the housekeeper replied with a sigh. "I know it must hurt."

Carter just nodded and stepped back. "I'm just going to go to my room and watch TV." He turned and walked dejectedly toward the hallway.

"I'll bring you some lunch in a little while," Martina called after him. Then she sighed and frowned. "Poor heartbroken kid."

In his room, the young man flipped the TV on and turned up the sound. Then he buried his face in his pillow and cried.

Xx

Alex stood just inside the main entrance to New Beginnings. It had been a few weeks since she'd had time to stop by and she was amazed at the progress that had been made. The lobby had been painted and carpeted in pale greens and yellows. The reception desk was equipped with a laptop and phone. Across form it, a leather seating group, accompanied by a low coffee table, sat. To the left of the reception desk was a coffee station and two vending machines for snacks and sodas, which were free to anyone who had a swipe card. The real reason she was there was to inspect the clinic so she made her way across the lobby to the designated room and swiped her card across the newly installed reader. The door lock clicked to allow her entry and she sucked in a breath as she gazed around the room. The board had agreed to outfit the clinic as fully as possible from standard medical supplies, up to a portable x-ray machine, and Alex was thrilled. Everything was clean, bright and shiny and she grinned as a pair of warm arms circled her waist from behind.

"This is fantastic," Briana said, squeezing her girlfriend and kissing her neck.

"It really is," Alex replied, leaning back into Brie's body and sighing. "I feel like we could perform very minor surgical procedures in here."

"We could." Briana agreed. "We can work on a list of services we could provide. And we should also see if we can wrangle some hours out of a podiatrist. Homeless people often have foot issues."

"Great idea," the doctor agreed. "Ok, everything looks great here. Let's look at the drug cabinet. The stock will be coming in soon. I can't believe we're opening in another month."

The two women left the clinic and moved to the office, once again swiping in using their cards. The main office was a large spacious area with three personal workspaces and a small meeting space. On the far side of the room, the drug cabinet sat and it had a separate card reader that was programmed to only accept Briana and Alex's cards.

Briana tested the mechanism and nodded her satisfaction. The unit was solid, attached to the wall with metal plates and had shatter and bullet proof glass. It was also alarmed and would send a signal to the police if anyone tried to break into it. "I love technology," she said as she closed the unit up and made sure it was locked tight. "Let's look upstairs."

They headed for the elevators, and moments later were standing at one of the bedroom doors. The system allowed them to enter one of the bedrooms, since they had a master key card and they smiled at the light and airy décor Kara had chosen. Each room was the same. The IKEA furniture was all assembled and the rugs, art and bed clothes matched the paint color. Everything was spotless and the rom smelled like new paint.

They moved to the bathrooms next. Each one had three sinks, three showers and three toilet cubicles and with more than one bathroom on each floor, designated either for males or females. Everything was brand new and ready for use.

"The contractor did a great job," Alex said as they moved back down the corridor to the elevators. "I love how they divided the first-floor space too. Plenty of room for Winn to do his classes and for Kayley to give her painting classes too."

"It's perfect," Briana sighed. "Just perfect and a testament to Cat and Kara's organizational skills. I'm so thrilled and can't wait to open the doors. Now, let's head out and get some dinner. I'm starving."

"Yes, Ma'am," Alex nodded. "Me too."

Xx

i _How are you holding up?_ /i Maggie was worriedly twirling her phone's cord around her finger.

"I'm exhausted, Maggie, but you know, this trial, as horrific as it's been, has been really good for me. I've been sitting there the past few days, looking those men right in the face, listening to testimony and arguments but, you know what? I'm actually getting through it. I'm not having a lot of nightmares, Cat is with me every step of the way, Winn was amazing on the stand and frankly, at this point, a guilty verdict is a done deal in everyone's opinion."

i _They'll be getting the punishment you, Andrea and all those other women deserve them to get. How's Cat?_ /i

Kara sighed and lay back on the bed. Cat was taking a call in the suite's living room. "I think she's ok. She's tired too and hearing all the details of what happened to me has been hard on her, but we're talking and listening when we need to."

i _That's good to hear. I'm proud of the two of you._ /i

Kara grinned happily. "Thanks, Maggie. I have to go but I'd like to see you when I get back to National City."

i _Of course! Just call me when you get back. Bye, Kara._ /i

"Seeya, Maggie." Kara hung up and smiled as Cat wandered into the room. She flopped onto the bed and closed her eyes as her girlfriend's fingers ran through her hair. "Maggie is proud of us for handling everything so well."

The older woman smiled and rolled over, pillowing her head on Kara's stomach and then lifted her shirt to place little kisses on her soft skin. "Mmm… I love you. You taste good."

On the bed beside her, Kara's phone dinged and she picked it up to read the text message. "Aww shit."

Cat's lips moved higher to brush the underside of Kara's breasts. "What is it?"

"It's from Carter. Rachel is gone. Jeez, she moved away from National City with her family."

The older woman sat up. "We should call him."

Kara frowned. "Yeah, we should. Do you want me to give you some space so you can talk to him alone?"

"No," Cat replied with a smile. "We're a family now. Put him on speaker."

"Cool." The younger woman dialed Carter and, when he didn't answer, waited until his voicemail kicked in. "Hey Carter. I'm here with your Mom. We're so sorry about Rachel leaving. We get that you might not want to talk right now but if you do, please call us, ok?"

"We love you so much, Carter," Cat added. "Please call when you can. It doesn't matter if it's in the middle of the night. Call any time."

Kara hung up and lay back down on the bed. "Closing arguments were completely one-sided and those guys looked like they were going to crap their pants when the jury was heading out to deliberate. How long do you think it'll take for them to come back with a verdict?"

"We've been here… what? An hour?" Cat said, looking at her watch.

"Yeah, an hour," Kara confirmed. "Probably won't take too long, right?"

"That'd be my guess," the CEO said with a shrug. "We just have to wait and see."

"Oh…" Kara said with a smile. "I love you too, by the way." She leaned over and kissed her girlfriend with a quiet passion that made Cat's breathing ragged and before she lost her ability for rational thought, she pulled back a little and looked into Kara's eyes.

"Is it too soon for me to ask you to marry me?" she said softly.

Kara stopped breathing and her eyes widened.

Cat chuckled. "Ok, clearly it is," she went on. "Sorry."

Then Kara started laughing. "Oh my God, Cat." She got off the bed and went to the dresser they were sharing where she pulled out a small velvet bag from underneath her underwear and brought it back to the bed.

"Darling… what…?" Cat's eyes were wide this time.

The younger woman opened the neck of the bag and gently shook something out onto her hand. Then she took a deep breath and smiled. "Well, this isn't how I was planning on doing this, but…" she said softly as she took Cat's hand and kissed her knuckles. "Catherine Grant, will YOU marry ME?" She held up a gorgeous diamond ring, smiling wider as the room's light glinted off the perfectly cut edges of the stone. "By the way, I asked Carter for permission before we left to come here so don't worry about that."

Cat just grinned.

Kara cleared her throat nervously. "So… will you?"

Cat rolled her eyes and slid her finger into the ring's platinum band. "Of course I will!" she replied, her voice tight with tears as she threw her arms around her girlfriend's neck and hugged her hard. Then she pulled back a bit to look at her ring. "It's beautiful, Kara. Thank you so much. We'll get you one just as soon as we get home."

"I can't wait," the younger woman replied with a wide smile. "And I can't wait to tell Alex!" Just then, Kara's phone rang and her face sobered as she picked it up. "Hey Janet. They're back? Already?" She listened for a moment and then nodded. "I see. Cat and I are on our way. Thanks." She hung up the phone and kissed the ring on Cat's finger. "The jury is back with a verdict."

Cat stood up and grabbed her suit jacket. "Let's go."


	42. Chapter 42

Drowning Chapter Forty-Two

The VERDICT!

Phew, let's hope you all are pleased with how the jury handles their decision.

* * *

Kara and Cat trotted up the steps of the courthouse hand-in-hand, ignoring the camera flashes and questions being hurled at them from the waiting reporters. They dodged people in the crowded lobby and corridors and finally came to the courtroom where they paused, eyes locked.

"Are you ready?" Cat asked as she reached up to move a lock of blonde hair behind Kara's ear.

The younger woman took a deep breath in and out and nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be."

They pulled the door open and walked in to take seats behind the prosecution's table next to Winn. Janet and Regina swiveled their chairs and moved closer. "Unsurprisingly, the jury came back very quickly. They didn't even ask to re-review any of the evidence or testimony," Regina said with a little smile.

"It's also a good indication that the verdict was unanimous from the start," Janet added. She took Kara's hand and squeezed it. "We did everything we could. We brought the thunder, Kara, and you should be very proud, no matter what happens."

"I am," Kara replied with a grin. "We have a LOT to celebrate, even if the verdict doesn't work out the way we want it to."

Just then, the judge was announced and everyone in the courtroom stood as she settled into her chair and gazed around the courtroom. "Are we ready to proceed?" she asked. "Bring the jury in please."

Everyone waited as the jurors shuffled back in and took their seats. The defendants were seated at their table with their lawyer, Jake Cleary. One of them was anxiously nibbling at his fingernail. For a moment, he turned his head and his eyes found Kara, who stared right back at him.

Kara remembered those eyes. She remembered how they were brown with a fleck of gold in them. She would have thought they were pretty eyes if she'd seen him on the street but instead, she felt that they were the most repulsive thing she'd ever seen.

He looked away as the judge called for order and addressed the jury's foreman. "Mr. Foreman, have you reached a verdict?"

The man stood, a piece of paper in his hand. "We have, Your Honor," he replied, handing the paper to the bailiff and watching as she handed it to the judge.

It only took a second for the judge to read the verdict and pass the page back. "In the case of Shirley Watts, Alexandra Morgan, Jennifer Cory and Kara Danvers versus John Rank, Paul Butt, Aaron Effy and Richard Lilly, how does the jury find?"

The foreman took a deep breath. "We find the defendants…" Kara grabbed Cat's hand and squeezed it, looking into her eyes fearfully. "GUILTY." She immediately burst into tears as a deep tension, that had been inside her for a long time, lifted and melted away like a spring thaw.

Regina and Janet offered each other professional smiles and then turned to the survivors seated behind them. The women were hugging each other, and Kara got up to join in as Cat looked on with joy. The hard part was over now, and the rapists would be held in custody for sentencing.

"Congratulations," Janet said. She wanted to jump up and down but managed to keep her feet on the ground. "I'm expecting multiple life sentences for those… gentlemen."

"Thank you," Kara said, pulling the two lawyers into a group hug. "You both are awesome."

"Go home," Janet said gently, cupping Kara's cheek in her hand and patting it softly. "Live your life, Kara Danvers, and be happy."

"And I see you both have something to be happy about," Regina added, pointing at the ring on Cat's finger. "I think that's new," she grinned.

"As of two hours ago," Cat replied with a wide smile.

"Then double congratulations," Janet said. "Reggie and I will expect an invite. I already have the perfect hat!"

"You can count on one," Kara laughed. "Thank you two, so so much." She took Cat's hand and tugged gently. "Can we go home right now?"

"Of course, I'll call the pilot when we're on the way back to the hotel," the older woman replied.

Winn took a moment to pull Kara into a long hug. "Thank God it's finally over," he said. "I love you, Kara Danvers, and don't you ever forget it."

"I love you too, Winn," the younger blonde replied squeezing him hard. "Want to hitch a ride with us back to National City?"

The man nodded. "I'd love to!"

After several more hugs and tearful goodbyes between the survivors, Kara, Cat and Winn headed back to the hotel but, outside the courthouse, Kara stopped on the steps to make a statement and waited for the reporters to gather around her.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. I'm Kara Danvers, one of the survivors of John Rank, Paul Butt, Aaron Effy and Eamon Lilly's reign of terror and thanks to the jury's verdict today, I can now move forward with my life and be happy. I am both thrilled with the decision and in awe of the justice system. Everyone really came through for the survivors today. Thank you."

Kara took Cat's hand against and they made their way down the steps to their waiting car, which took them and Winn back to the hotel and two hours later, they were boarding the CatCo jet back to National City. The plane started to taxi, just as Kara was telling Alex everything that had happened. She had to hold the phone away from her ear, as loud as Alex's screams of joy were. It was closure for her sister too.

Closure after a four-year nightmare. Kara knew that she'd never be completely free, but she was happy and wanted nothing more than to move forward with her life with Cat and Carter.

Xx

It was late and dark in Carter's room when Cat slipped inside. Her son was asleep, the light from the hallway painting over his face and making him look even younger than his fifteen and a half years. Cat gently pushed his hair back from his forehead. She didn't want to wake him, but she needed to be close to him, to at least see for herself that he was ok, physically, if not emotionally.

A shadow flitted across the room and Cat smiled at Kara, who was leaning against the door frame, rubbing her tired eyes. "Come to bed," the younger woman whispered.

"In a minute," Cat replied, stroking her son's hair again. "When did he grow up?" she added as Kara was turning to leave. "Did I miss it?"

"No, Honey, you didn't miss it. You were the one that made it possible." Kara crossed the room and kissed Cat's temple. "You raised him to be the wonderful young man he is today."

A little smile twisted Carter's lips. "Keep saying nice things about me," he mumbled. "I can take it." He opened his eyes and rolled onto his back. "I'm so glad you're both home," he added. "I heard about the verdict on the news. Congratulations, Kar."

"Thanks, Bud," Kara replied, taking a seat on the other side of the bed from Cat. "How are you holding up. I'm sorry about Rachel having to leave."

"I'm ok," Carter replied. "Or at least I will be. I'm so glad I knew her."

"It hurts though, right?" the younger blonde asked.

"Yeah." The young man closed his eyes and sighed. "She was special."

Cat patted his knee. "Yeah, she was. I know this hurts right now, but it'll get easier."

Carter looked down at Cat's hand, suddenly grinning when he saw the ring. "Nice rock, Mom," he said, leaning up to kiss his mother on the cheek. Then he looked at Kara. "So, can I call you Mom too?"

The instructor's mouth dropped open and she blinked and looked at Cat who sniggered a little. "I think you broke her, Sweetheart."

The young man laughed. "Kara, I'm kidding. Congratulations! I'm thrilled for you both!"

"Thanks, Bud," Kara grinned. Then she looked at her girlfriend. "Let's go to bed and let our kid get some rest."

"Ok," Cat replied amiably. "Goodnight, Sweetheart. I love you."

"Night, Moms," Carter replied in a teasing tone, laughing again as Kara scurried out of the room.

Xx

"Fuuuuuccckkkk, Kara," Cat groaned out as her body convulsed through its third orgasm thanks to her girlfriend's talented tongue. Her hands moved into Kara's hair, caressing her scalp slowly as she came down from her high, and a pair of stunning, blue eyes looked up at her in question. "I... I can't again."

A smile appeared, and Kara crawled up her girlfriend's body to lie next to her, wrapping her arm around Cat's trim waist and snuggling close. "I love you," she murmured tiredly.

"I love you too. And I want to take you ring shopping tomorrow," the older blonde replied, kissing Kara's forehead.

"It's almost already tomorrow," Kara replied, looking at the clock on Cat's nightstand. "We've been up nearly all night." She yawned and closed her eyes, rubbing her nose slowly against the soft skin of Cat's arm. "I think we both need some sleep."

"Yes, we do. It's Saturday so we can sleep in for a while. Kara, how would you feel about having an engagement party?"

The question took Kara by surprise and she looked up at Cat, pursing her lips. "Like a friends and family party or a big, swanky paparazzi affair?"

Cat yawned behind her hand. "The first one."

"That'd be great," the younger woman replied. "Want to just have it here at the house?"

"Yeah, with just our core peeps."

Kara burst into laughter. "Core peeps? Have you been listening to Carter talking to his friends again?"

The older woman sighed. "I know. I'm too decrepit to be cool anymore."

"Not true," Kara replied with a smile. "I think you're cool."

"Well that's all that matters then," Cat replied, rolling onto her side, pressing herself against Kara's longer body and sighing happily as her girlfriend's arms swallowed her up. Moments later, she was asleep.

Kara just lay there for a while, her lips pressed lightly to Cat's forehead and thinking that she was the luckiest woman in the world.

Xx

Alex was on her knees in front of the drug cabinet in the main office at New Beginnings. She had a clipboard in one hand and she was checking items off her list, chewing thoughtfully on the end of her pen.

Across the room, Briana was sitting at her desk, browsing the app store for an app to use for keeping inventory. "Oh," she muttered to herself. "DrugList. That might work. Forty bucks too. Cheap." She clicked her mouse to look at the details and then nodded happily as she went to her wallet to get out her foundation credit card. Moments later she was opening the app and looking through it. "Nice. Hey, Ally, give me that list when you're done with it please? I want to get the inventory into this new app I got for tracking our drugs. Oh crap, you know what, I need a charting app too."

"Something with good printout results. We need to be able to print records and send them with patients to the E.R.," Alex said absently.

"Right," Brie agreed. "And don't forget to bring a couple of your prescription pads here too."

"Already did," Alex replied. "They're in the drawer of this here swanky unit." She went back to her list. "Did you get the evening off for Kara and Cat's party?"

"I'm not sure yet," Briana replied with a sigh. "I've asked a couple of people to swap shifts with me, but I won't know 'til Wednesday if I can get Friday night off."

"Fingers crossed," the doctor smiled. She shrugged then. "You know, when Kara told me she wanted to propose to Cat, part of me didn't think she'd do it."

The nurse leaned her forearms on her desk, giving her girlfriend her full attention. "Why?"

Alex got up and crossed the room, sitting on the edge of Briana's desk. "She's been through so much. I wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to have a healthy relationship like she has with Cat. After sitting with her all those nights, holding her while she screamed and raged and lashed out, it's amazing to me that she's been able to find her way back to herself. But I'm so so glad she has. I've been so worried about her."

Briana nodded thoughtfully. "Seems like Cat and Kara meeting at Breathe is the best thing that's ever happened to them both."

"Amen," Alex replied happily. She straightened then and went back to the cabinet to finish her inventory.


	43. Chapter 43

Drowning Chapter Forty-Three

An engagement party, a little chat between Alex and Carter and a trip to the opening of New Beginnings. Keep your fingers crossed, Folks. Cat needs some moral support!

* * *

Kara was sitting at her desk at Breathe, running through the final preparation for the official opening of the New Beginnings Foundation building. It was just a week away and she was almost vibrating with excitement. A lot of planning and organization and cooperation and, quite frankly, legal wheeling and dealing, had gone into getting the foundation on its feet. They had a list of tenants that Briana and Alex had organized through their social worker friend and each person had been interviewed and was grateful for the chance. The building had been inspected, permits granted and those people had already moved in and been issued swipe cards.

She looked down at her phone as it dinged and grinned when she saw the message was from the person who was catering her engagement party that night.

 _Hi Miss Danvers. Everything is set up at the house as we discussed. Please make sure that Miss Grant is on time. I'd like to keep the hot food, hot!_

Kara chuckled and replied before calling her absent fiancée. Unfortunately, the call went to voicemail.

"Honey, the caterer really wants you to be on time tonight so she can serve the food hot. Gimme a call, huh? Oh, I picked up Carter's suit from the tailor. He looks so handsome in it. Love you."

The instructor looked to her schedule then and realized she only had five minutes to her next client so she grabbed her towel and headed for the pool.

Xx

Cat looked at her watch again, pleased to see that it was only fifteen minutes to landing. Her meeting in London had run late and she was on the CatCo jet back to National City now. Luckily, with the time zone difference, she'd arrived back at roughly the same time as she'd left. She'd have barely enough time to change before the party.

On the ground, the flight attendant opened the door and let the steps down and Cat trotted down them, expecting to see her driver but, instead, Kara and Carter were waiting for her next to Kara's car with big smiles on their face.

Cat thought she was actually floating for a moment, as delighted as she was to see them, and she ran to them, pulling them both into a bear hug that had them all laughing. "God, I'm so glad to see you. I missed you both so much." She kissed Carter's cheek and then Kara's lips. "I thought you'd be at the house getting ready for the party."

"Everything's ready," Kara replied with a grin. "We just have to change when we get there. You must be tired, Honey. I'm sorry your meeting ran late."

"Yeah, Mom," Carter added. "We were hoping you'd have time for a power nap."

The older woman smiled. "I got a couple of hours on the plane but my energy is renewed from seeing you two here. We should go. Time is marching on."

Kara opened the passenger and back doors for Cat and Carter to get in, then walked around the car and into the driver's seat. She started the engine and, with a quick look around, pulled smoothly onto the road toward the small airport's exit.

"So, how did everything go in London?" she asked as she indicated right to pull onto the main road toward the highway.

"As well as could be expected," the CEO replied with a shrug. "CatCo is doing pretty well over there but I feel like it could do better and that suspicion was hammered home when I saw this month's copy of their magazine. Carter could have written better copy and he's not even a professional writer!"

"Wow," the younger woman replied with a shake of her head. "What did you do?"

"I had to put on my CEO hat and tell some home truths." Cat sighed. "And I had to fire a couple of people for questionable decisions too. The Editor-in-Chief used his expense account to buy a Merc. Said it was for optics." She made air quotes with her fingers.

"You fired Ralph Croft? Hasn't he been the EC over there for years?" Kara asked.

Cat pursed her lips, surprised that Kara had known that. "Yes, too many apparently. I wasn't keeping close enough of an eye on the international branches. That will be changing. I've asked my new assistant to send out a memo to say that I'll be going on a world tour of underperforming branches soon. Hopefully, the threat of my showing up will cause them to step up their game."

"Really?" Kara replied. "How will you know if it works?"

"I'm going to get samples of their publications and if I'm not happy, I'll go there and shake them up." Cat sniffed. "I can guarantee they won't enjoy that."

Kara shot her an amused glance. "I bet not. On a lighter note, all of the new residents have moved into New Beginnings and so far, so good. Alex and Briana have treated a couple of minor issues and everything else is getting up and running."

"You know, I was thinking about something," Carter suddenly spoke up. "Each room is designed for one person, right?"

"Right," Kara confirmed.

"But what about families? What about a mother who might be trying to escape an abusive husband with her children? Or gay teenagers whose parents throw them out and they just want to be together?"

Kara and Cat looked at each other, blinking.

"Carter, those are excellent examples of where the foundation can help," Kara agreed. "But we need to get this center up and running first. I think maybe phase two can offer what you've suggested."

"I'd like to be involved," Carter added. "In the foundation, I mean."

"I'd love that," Cat replied. "Why don't you think about the ways you feel like you can help and we'll talk about them tomorrow."

Kara hit the clicker attached to her sun visor to open the gates of the house and she pulled into the driveway. She recognized Alex's car and smiled brightly, knowing her sister was probably directing the operations inside. "Come on. We don't have a lot of time to get ready."

Xx

Silence fell in the room and all eyes turned towards her as Cat clinked a knife against her crystal champagne flute.

"Firstly," she began. "Thank you all for coming tonight to share this celebration with Kara and me. Family is the most important thing and whether by blood or friendship, you are all family to us."

"Hear hear!" Winn called from his seat next to Paul on the couch.

"A lot has happened over the last nine months and I'm just so lucky to have been able to share everything with the love of my life." Cat smiled at Kara and held out a hand, which the younger blonde crossed the room to take. "I knew from the first time I met Kara that she was an amazing woman and she's just reaffirmed that first impression over and over again since then. Without her, I wouldn't have New Beginnings. I wouldn't have the deep happiness in my chest that I've rarely felt outside my relationship with my children. I also wouldn't have some of the wonderful people in this room, who I hold so dear." She looked at Kara again and held up her glass in a toast. "So, let me simply say thank you, Darling, and that I love you with everything that I am."

The room erupted into applause and Cat handed over to Kara, whose cheeks were wet with tears. The younger blonde sniffled a little and smiled as Alex handed her a Kleenex.

"Alex to the rescue," she chuckled. "Um... wow... how can I... Cat has basically put so eloquently into words, exactly how I feel. You all know some of what I've been through and how my experiences have affected me negatively, but all that changed when I met Cat. She has helped me to, slowly but surely, build myself back up from the shattered mess I most surely was. She helped me through emotional turmoil and was patient and kind when I wasn't able to be reasonable or nice. She never once judged me, but instead, encouraged me to work through my trauma, go through the trial and get justice for myself and the other women who were devasted by those men. She's given me a home in her heart and more love than I ever imagined possible. She's given me a family of my own, which I thought I'd never have. It had just been Alex and me on our own for so long but now, we have Cat, Carter and Briana too. We're so lucky."

Alex smiled at her and kissed Briana's temple. "We sure are."

"So, yeah, let me echo your words back to you, Cat. Thank you and I love you too, more than I can even describe." Then she looked at Carter who was grinning ear to ear. "This guy has been teasing me about calling me Mom now and you know what? All joking aside, I'd be honored if you ever saw me that way, Carter. Thank you for welcoming me into the Grant family." She looked at Alex then. "Alex, you are everything to me. Sister, friend, sounding board, confidante... sometimes parent." Alex laughed at that. "Without you, I wouldn't be alive today. I love you and thank you for always supporting me and giving me a kick in the ass when I needed it."

Alex wiped at her tears just as her sister also did and they laughed at each other's sappiness. Then she raised her glass, waiting until everyone was standing. "I'm so glad that Kara found you, Cat. You've made her... and me... very happy. Welcome to the Danvers family. And, Kara, I'm so freakin' proud of you! To the brides to be!"

Everyone raised their glasses and repeated the toast. Then Kara and Cat moved around the room, sharing hugs with their extended family. Meanwhile, Carter was across the room, chatting with Alex and sipping on his own half-glass of champagne that she'd smuggled to him.

"How do you feel about all this?" the doctor asked as she popped a shrimp into her mouth and chewed.

"Thrilled," Carter replied. "I really love, Kara. She's been there for me a lot despite her busy schedule."

"I know that she loves you too. She was really worried about you after Rachel."

"I know." The young man looked down. "I miss Rachel but I'm really ok. I'm doing well at school and I'm making more friends. I guess I'm not as nerdy as I used to be."

Alex chuckled and shook her head. "Dude, being a nerd is awesome. You just have to find someone who appreciates you for your nerdism."

"I'm working on it," Carter grinned. "I'll keep you posted."

"Please do," the doctor nodded. Then she looked over at her girlfriend who was watching from across the room. They shared a smile. "When you find that person, it's the best feeling in the world."

"Briana's cool," the young man added. "Do you think she's the one?"

Alex nodded. "I think she may be but it's early yet. We've only been together a few months."

"I guess... Mom says, when you know, you know," Carter chuckled. "I hope it works out for you."

"Thanks, Carter," Alex replied. "And I'm glad that you love Kara. She's a great person. Are you looking forward to the wedding?"

"Yeah, I really am. Mom wants me to walk her down the aisle."

"Awesome. Kara asked me to do the same for her. Your tie will be matching my dress, I believe."

"Three months. Is that enough time to get everything organized?"

"This is Cat and Kara we're talking about," Alex grinned. "It'll all work out."

Xx

"I feel very uncomfortable," Cat muttered as she looked over her part of the speech once more. Kara was sitting beside her in the limo on their way to the New Beginnings opening ceremony. "I should have worn those other hose."

"Take them off," Kara suggested with a shrug. "You should be comfortable today." With a big smile, she slipped across into the seat facing Cat and lifted her girlfriend's legs into her lap, removing her high-heeled shoes one by one and massaging her feet. "Lift," she said and Cat lifted her butt off the seat to pull down her hose. Kara took over then and guided the sheer material down the older woman's legs, letting her fingertips glide along smooth skin. She saw Cat swallow and slowed her movements. "You're beautiful," she said as she felt her body respond to the look in her girlfriend's eyes. "I wish we weren't in this car right now."

"Me too," Cat agreed, sighing as Kara slid her shoes back onto her feet. "But we're continuing this discussion later on in the privacy of our own bedroom, I promise you."

"Can't wait," Kara replied, setting the older blonde's legs back down. "Better?"

"Much, thank you, Darling," Cat replied. She took a breath and started to read back over her speech again.

"Nervous?"

"A little. This is really important to both of us. I don't want to screw it up."

Kara chuckled. "Cat, you've done every kind of media there is. You'll be great!"

"I hope so," Cat replied. "I really hope so."


	44. Chapter 44

Drowning Part Forty-Four

The opening and New Beginnings and the Wedding of Kara and Cat.

Well, this is the last chapter, Folks. I'll be moving on to something new very soon, plus I'm still working on Super-Ficlets. Hope you've enjoyed the journey. This turned into something much longer than I'd originally intended! Thank you for all the comments and feedback. You've really made writing this story doubly enjoyable!

* * *

Cat slid out of the limo, closely followed by her fiancée and they walked hand-in-hand up the red carpet to the entrance to New Beginnings. The pathway was lined with photographers and reporters and the board members, along with Carter, were waiting at the top of the steps with big smiles on their faces.

Cat and Kara shared hugs with their friends as the ceremonial ribbon was unrolled and stretched across the building's entrance.

The CatCo CEO stepped forward then, an oversized pair of scissors in her hands. "Ladies and Gentlemen," she began. "Let's keep this short and sweet since we have a party to get to." Everyone chuckled as Cat placed the scissors into position. "It is my great honor to speak on behalf of the board members of New Beginnings: Alex Danvers, Briana Crane, Winn Schott Jr., Paul Bradley, Kara Danvers and myself. We've worked extremely hard to make this dream a reality and we could not have done it without the funds so kindly donated to us by the companies listed on this board next to me."

"Our goal here is to get people back on their feet… to help them get jobs and places of their own to live. We provide counselling and medical attention, along with fun classes to help our tenants to integrate back into society and we offer friendship to those who need it."

Cat smiled at Kara who nodded happily.

"And now, I declare New Beginnings officially open!"

Cat cut the ribbon and a cheer went up followed by applause as the material fell to the ground. Then she hugged Kara tightly, holding her close and whispering in her ear. "Thank you, Darling. For everything."

"I love you," Kara whispered back as she returned the hug. "Best day ever!"

"Oh, it's not over yet," the older blonde grinned. "I made a promise to you. We'll celebrate more tonight in a more private setting."

"Can't wait!"

They shared another round of hugs with their friends and then led everyone inside, where a champagne buffet was waiting and a band was starting up. Kara grabbed Cat by the hand and pulled her, laughing, onto the dancefloor to spin her around. They were joined by Alex, Briana and Carter who danced around them as they swayed together.

"Hey, Kara!" Alex called to her sister as she grabbed Briana and dipped her. "Want a new sister-in-law?"

The Olympian looked confused for a second but then realization dawned across her face. "YES!"

The nurse grinned and straightened to kiss Alex's cheek. "Good, because you're getting one!" She lifted her hand and flashed an engagement ring before Alex spun her away.

"Cool!" Kara called back with a laugh. "Congratulations!"

"That's so great," Cat agreed as she watched her friends dancing together happily. "Our family is getting bigger."

"Yeah," Kara replied with a little smirk. "We just have to marry Carter off now."

Around them, cameras were flashing and people were choosing seats and helping themselves to the buffet. The residents of the building were seated at a special table and were toasting their new starts with champagne.

"Let's just get our wedding and Alex's sorted before we worry about Carter," the older blonde laughed. "Now c'mon. There are some people over there that we need to talk to. Phase two of New Beginnings won't plan itself! I told you it's in the planning stage, right?"

Kara blinked as she was tugged across the room by her enthusiastic fiancée. "It is?"

xx

Alex wiped her eyes with a tissue as she stood next to her sister in front of a full length mirror. "You'll ruin your makeup," Kara said softly, as she smoothed down the white satin dress that clung to her slender curves. She took and released a deep, calming breath, and adjusted her bodice to straighten the vertical lines of tiny white flowers sewn into it. The dress was an A-line, strapless design which showed off the blonde's gorgeous shoulders and toned arms and hugged her narrow waist. The skirt barely swept the floor and white, high-heeled, peep toe shoes completed the ensemble.

"I'm sorry," Alex replied. "You just look so beautiful, Kara. Like a princess." She tucked a tendril of escaped hair back into her sister's up-do and shook her head. "I'm so happy for you, Kid."

"It's been the most difficult, wonderful, terrifying, fantastic year of my life," the bride-to-be replied with a sigh. "But through all the ups and downs, Cat has stood by me. She's knows me… just like you do, Alex."

The doctor chuckled. "Well, maybe not quite as well as I do. I haven't told her all the embarrassing stories yet. I'm saving a couple of those for my maid of honor speech."

Kara laughed and turned back to look in the mirror before picking up her phone to check the time. "Well, ten minutes to go."

"Nervous?" Alex asked, wrapping her arms around her sister from behind and hugging her gently.

"Excited and a little nervous," Kara replied as she squeezed Alex's arms. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being the best sister, oftentimes parent and best friend that anyone could ever ask for. I love you."

Silence hung between them for a moment as Alex blinked her eyes furiously. "I will not cry, I will not cry…" she finally murmured, releasing her sister to wave her hands in front of her face and making Kara chortle.

"Wow, c'mon Weepy," the blonde said, taking her sister's hand. "We have a wedding to get to."

xx

"Wow, Cat. You look… wow." Briana whispered in awe as Cat turned to display her dress to her maid of honor. The cream, sheath dress accentuated the blonde's figure as it clung to her body and fell to the floor in a short train. The narrow straps sat comfortably on her shoulders, still showing off her collar bones and the dress lent a hint of cleavage that was both appropriate and a little sexy. Her chin-length, blonde hair was carefully curled and her stylist had woven tiny cream flowers into it. She really looked beautiful and Briana's mouth was hanging open.

"Close your mouth before you start catching flies," Cat replied, but with a smile. "And thank you," she added. Then she looked down at the slim watch on her wrist and took a calming breath. "Ten minutes."

"Nervous?" Briana asked as she adjusted the dress a little at Cat's waist.

"No," the older woman replied. "I just can't wait to be Kara's wife. I'm the happiest I've ever been in my entire life."

"Well, it won't be long now. I'll tell Carter it's safe to come in now." Briana went to the door and beckoned to the young man who was waiting anxiously outside.

Carter stepped into the room, his eyes widening at the sight of his Mom in her wedding gown. Then he grinned and hugged her. "You clean up nice," he whispered into her ear.

"You too," she whispered in reply, then pulled back a little to adjust his tie and smooth her hands across the shoulders of his suit jacket. He had a fresh haircut and she could smell cologne from his attempt at shaving. "You look so handsome, Sweetheart."

"And you look so, so beautiful, Mom."

"Charmer," Cat laughed, trying not to cry as she tweaked his chin. "But thank you, Carter."

"We should go," the young man advised. "We definitely should NOT leave Kara waiting."

"Agreed." Cat slipped her hand into the crook of her son's arm and he guided her down the corridor to the entrance to the church.

xx

Kara was standing quietly, her hand tucked into Winn's arm as she waited for the church door to be opened for her by the attendant.

"This is going to be epic," Winn murmured. "I bet you can't wait to see Cat."

"I can't wait to be her wife," Kara replied. "And I can't wait to see her dress. We've done a really great job of keeping our dresses a secret from each other."

"An hour from now, you'll be starting the next phase of your life together. How cool is that?" Winn said excitedly.

"Epic," Kara laughed. "You called it."

Just then, the door ahead of them opened and, across the main aisle, the door also opened, revealing Cat and Carter them. Kara's stomach fluttered as she took in her wife-to-be and the huge smile on her face. They had decided to enter the church at the same time from each side and meet in the middle to walk to the altar together and, as the music started up, Winn and Carter guided Cat and Kara forward.

Cat hadn't been sure that her knees would hold her up when the doors opened and she saw Kara in her dress for the first time but, when Carter moved them, she found she couldn't wait to get to her partner so she could see her up close.

They walked in time with the music and finally met in the center aisle of the church, matching smiles lighting their faces. Winn gently took Kara's hand and placed it into Cat's as Carter did the same with his mother's hand. Then they each kissed the brides' cheeks and stepped back to let them continue up the main aisle together, hand in hand.

The small church was full of guests, who were standing up, some of them holding tissues to their eyes but, as they reached the altar, to Cat's NOT-surprise, her own mother was sitting in the front row, dressed in black with a bored look on her face. Kara's and Cat's eyes met and the older woman rolled hers. "Wonder where she parked her broomstick," she murmured, making her partner giggle.

As everyone was taking their seats and the music was winding down, the brides just took a moment to take each other in.

"You are breathtaking," Kara said softly, bringing Cat's hand to her lips to kiss it. "I love your dress. It's gorgeous."

"Yours too," Cat replied, her smile almost shy. "I'm so lucky to be loved by a woman as beautiful and amazing as you are. Kara, you make me feel like I'm twenty-five again."

The priest stepped forward, his microphone booming his voice out to the guests as he spoke but Cat and Kara barely heard a word of the ceremony. They just wanted to get to the important part… the exchanging of vows.

And then it was time.

Winn stepped forward and opened a small box for Kara to take Cat's wedding ring. The younger blonde slipped the ring over the tip of Cat's finger and looked into her eyes.

"Catherine Grant." She cleared her throat as it grew hoarse with emotion. "Meeting you a year ago was the best thing that ever happened to me. I am truly blessed to love you and to know without a shadow of a doubt that you love me. You've given me so many amazing gifts, the best of which is a new family and I cherish that so much. I would do anything for you and Carter, My Love. My vow to you is to love you and treat you with respect and kindness. I will support your decisions and be your counsel when you need it. Do you believe me, Cat? Will you take me as your wife?"

The priest smiled and just stayed quiet.

"Yes, I most definitely will!" Cat nodded happily and then smiled widely through her tears as Kara slid the ring fully onto her finger.

Then Carter stepped forward and held out the box with Kara's ring nestled inside. Cat carefully pulled the ring from its satin home and slid it over the tip of her bride's finger.

"Kara Danvers, you are brave, kind, strong, loving and trustworthy, but these are just a small number of the qualities I love about you. I love how you take care of me and of Carter. I love how you put me and our relationship above your own needs. I love how you make me feel like I'm young again." She cleared her throat and swallowed. "You are the love of my life, Kara Danvers, and I want to spend the rest of that life with you. My vow to you is to love you and treat you with respect and kindness. I will support your decisions and be your counsel when you need it. Do you believe me, Kara? Will you take me as your wife?"

"Yes, I will," Kara replied with a grin. "In fact, I thought you'd never ask."

The guests all laughed and clapped as Cat slid the ring fully onto Kara's finger. Then the priest held up a hand to quieten everyone down.

"By the power vested in me by God the Almighty, his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit, I now pronounce you wives." He looked to them both. "You may kiss your bride."

The brides closed the distance between them and clasped hands, blue eyes meeting green and holding as they gazed at each other.

"I love you, Kara Danvers-Grant," Cat said softly.

"And I love you, Cat Danvers-Grant," Kara replied.

Then they sealed their vows with a kiss that left them breathless while the thundering sound of clapping and whistling swirled around them.

Standing behind them on the altar, Alex dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and watched her little sister's happiness. Then she looked across the space at her own fiancée, winking and then grinning as she received one back from Briana.

She'd never felt so proud and happy and when she finally pulled her sister in for a hug, she told her so and they cried tears of happiness together.

"Now look who's weepy," the doctor said, poking her sister in the chest.

"Yeah, yeah," Kara replied, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. "It's your fault."

"We're finally both happy," Alex said, a look of almost wonder on her face.

"Yeah," Kara replied, watching Cat hugging her son. "Yeah, we finally are."

The End


End file.
